Gandhis’ Akashvani Bhavan Sit-In Marks Dramatic Turn in Protest
<p>Gandhis and INDIA bloc leaders staged a sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan after police blocked their protest march.</p>
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On 6 October 2026, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra led a protest march of INDIA bloc MPs in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision. After police blocked the march near Akashvani Bhavan, the Gandhis and several Congress leaders entered the premises and staged a sit-in for several hours before being detained by police.
According to The Indian Express, the protest began with a march from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters. Police set up barricades near Nirvachan Sadan, detaining many opposition leaders. The situation changed unexpectedly when Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra entered Akashvani Bhavan, surprising both police and fellow protestors.
As reported by Hindustan Times, the Gandhis accessed the Akashvani campus through an open staff gate and sat under a banyan tree, joined by other Congress leaders. The sit-in lasted over six hours, turning the historic broadcasting house into a temporary protest site. Staff and onlookers gathered as the events unfolded, while police eventually detained the leaders.
Coverage revealed that the original plan was to reach the Election Commission, but the police blockade forced a change in tactics. The Gandhis’ decision to use Akashvani Bhavan as a protest site was described by Congress leaders as spontaneous, with some stating, “Only the two of them know what they had in mind when they walked in.”
“We don’t know what happened. This was not part of the plan,” a Congress leader was quoted as saying, reflecting the impromptu nature of the move.
Analysis showed that the protest drew participation from at least 237 MPs, including leaders from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, and Biju Janata Dal. The BJD’s involvement marked a rare instance of support from outside the INDIA bloc, as noted at the demonstration site.
At the height of the standoff, Rahul Gandhi addressed the media from inside Akashvani Bhavan, stating, “I don’t care what the BJP says. I’m standing here to protect democracy. What has been done to the country is treason.” The protest continued until police detained the leaders around 8 pm as events unfolded.
In the aftermath, the Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the protest, calling it a “political drama” and alleging that the Congress had no genuine intention to meet the Election Commission. The BJP cited the poll panel’s statement that no formal meeting request was received before 4 pm, and accused the Congress of staging the protest for political spectacle at the press conference.
“It is very clear that the entire exercise was carried out to turn democracy into a monarchy, while wearing the mask of democracy,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi stated.
Further details indicated that the protest caused significant disruption in central Delhi, with Parliament Street shut down for much of the day. The standoff ended after several rounds of discussions and heated exchanges, with detained leaders taken to Kingsway Camp police facility as the situation deescalated.
Additional reporting indicated that the Election Commission maintained it was willing to receive a memorandum from the protesting MPs, but the offer was declined. The protest was part of a broader campaign against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with opposition leaders alleging irregularities and demanding accountability as the campaign continued.
“All I want to do is meet the Chief Election Commissioner and tell him that he has done ‘vote chori’. I can continue to sit here. I am comfortable here. If they don’t want us to sit here, give us some other site,” Rahul Gandhi said during the sit-in.
By the end of the day, the detained leaders were released, and the protest concluded without further incident. The episode at Akashvani Bhavan marked a significant moment in the ongoing confrontation between the opposition and the Election Commission, drawing national attention to the methods and motivations of both sides as the debate continued.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.