Police sirens blared as Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, handed water bottles to police while being hauled onto a detention bus during a flash protest at Jantar Mantar.
The gesture came an hour after Delhi Police had dragged him into a vehicle, following a strategy meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that set the stage for the march.
The protest was part of a broader campaign by Congress leaders to pressure the government over the controversial SIR bill, and it saw scuffles between NSUI workers and police near Ashoka Road.
On the ground, a protester clutched the Constitution as police forced leaders off the road, while Priyanka Gandhi lay on the pavement holding a copy of the Constitution.
The footage, which has already spread across social media, shows Gandhi’s calm demeanor and is being used by opposition spokesmen to highlight police conduct.
The incident is likely to be cited in the Parliament’s debate on the SIR bill scheduled for next month, where opposition leaders plan to challenge the government’s stance.