Opposition leaders including Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Pinarayi Vijayan were detained in Delhi on October 10 during protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and reports said some were released by evening.
The list cuts across parties that do not usually move together: the Trinamool Congress, AAP, the CPI(M), the CPI(ML) and civil society figures, according to The Federal and Al Jazeera.
The government’s line was dismissive. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra called the demonstrators anarchic elements and said the protest had flopped, according to Al Jazeera, while Kharge said the government had turned the Mother of Democracy into a Muzzled Democracy.
The CPI(M) made allegations of manhandling and of denial of food, water and medication, which are party allegations that the reports did not confirm.
The INDIA bloc has planned a mega protest on October 12, and counts of detainees range from hundreds to more than 7,000 in different reports.
At 8:49 pm, Kejriwal reported being released by police, according to a live blog by The Federal.
Inkl reported that Banerjee and Kejriwal were released from detention.
Kerala’s former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, MA Baby and John Brittas were taken to Chhatrasal Stadium and then to Mandir Marg police station, according to Brittas as cited by The Federal.
Manik Sarkar and Elamaram Kareem were detained at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Bawana, according to The Federal.
CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav were also among those detained, according to Al Jazeera.
The CPI(M) alleged that its leaders were manhandled and denied food, water and medication, and that two of its leaders were injured, which are party allegations.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on X that the Modi government had turned the Mother of Democracy into a Muzzled Democracy, according to Al Jazeera.
Parliament building, New Delhi (file image), Wikimedia Commons, GODL-India