Chennai, Aug 11 (IANS) Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay on Monday strongly condemned the detention of several Opposition MPs, including Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, during a protest march in New Delhi.

The MPs were detained while marching from Parliament House to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters, demanding free and fair elections and opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar.

The march was led by LoP Rahul Gandhi and included members of various INDIA Bloc parties.

In a statement issued here, Vijay recalled his earlier remarks made during the launch of the book ‘Anaivarukkumana Thalaivar Ambedkar’ in December 2024.

At that event, he had stressed that safeguarding democracy was vital for the nation’s complete development.

“To protect democracy, the Constitution must be safeguarded. Every citizen has both a duty and a responsibility in this regard. We have already said that the foundation of democracy is free and fair elections, and that Chief Election Commissioners should be appointed through consensus,” he said.

The TVK chief pointed out that his party was the first political outfit from Tamil Nadu to raise concerns over the special revision of the electoral roll in Bihar, warning that such measures could potentially undermine democratic rights.

“When the SIR in Bihar was announced, we voiced our apprehensions that this move could affect the integrity of the electoral process,” he said.

Vijay emphasised that elections must be conducted in a manner that inspires public confidence and upholds democratic principles.

“As we have consistently stated, the conduct of elections should not only be free and fair but also appear to be so in the eyes of the people. This is the only way to strengthen democracy and protect the rights of citizens,” he added.

Monday’s detention of Opposition MPs in Delhi has triggered sharp reactions from across the political spectrum, with leaders accusing the ruling BJP of stifling dissent and undermining democratic freedoms.

The protest march was part of a broader campaign by the Opposition to highlight alleged irregularities in voter lists and demand greater transparency in the electoral process.

–IANS

aal/rad