Rahul Gandhi was today detained for a second time by Delhi Police and taken to Tilak Marg police station after he tried to meet the family members of the ex-serviceman who allegedly committed suicide as high drama unfolded on streets in Lutyens' Delhi with Congress and AAP workers staging protests.
Gandhi along with other Congress leaders, including Jyotiraditya Scindia and Ajay Maken were bundled into a police van and taken to the police station.
He was released after being in detention for over an hour.
Earlier in the day, the Congress leader was released by Police after he was detained while trying to meet the family of the ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal who committed suicide today at Jantar Mantar protesting against the alleged delay in the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme.
Security personnel stopped Rahul Gandhi from entering the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital premises where he had gone to meet the relatives of Ram Kishan Grewal.
Rahul Gandhi was stopped at the gates of the RML hospital by the security personnel.
The Congress vice-president repeatedly pleaded for his entry into the hospital saying he only wanted to meet the family members of Ram Kishan Grewal.
However, the security personnel refused to let him inside the hospital.
An angry Rahul vented his ire on the security personnel by wondering what was happening in the country.
“What kind of country is this? What kind of country you are trying to make?” asked a visibly upset Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi was later detained at Mandir Marg Police Station .
“Rahul Gandhi detained at Mandir Marg PS for 'disruption of duty'after he wasn't allowed to enter RML hosp to meet ex-serviceman's family,” Delhi’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) chief Mukesh Kumar Meena said.
Family members of the ex-seviceman were also detained for allegedly contacting political leaders and holding demonstration in the hospital.
Earlier in the day, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was detained when he was trying to enter the hospital for meeting the family of Ram Kishan Grewal.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed Sisodia’s detention an ‘act of goondaism’ and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being insecure.
“Manish Sisodia detained? He had gone to meet family of deceased Ram Kishan ji. He is elected Dy CM. Whats wrong wid u Modiji? So insecure?” Kejriwal tweeted.
“If a Deputy CM goes to console the family of a resident of his state who has died then will he be arrested? It’s height of goondaism, Modiji,” he said in another tweet.
Manish Sisodia, on his part, wondered if trying to meet the family of the ex-servicemen who committed suicide was a crime.
“ I went to RML Hospital to meet the family of the ex-serviceman who committed suicide and not for any sit-in. Is it a crime?” tweeted Manish Sisodia.
M K Meena, however, justified the detention of both Rahul Gandhi and Manish Sisodia.
“No politician is allowed in the hospital and they were causing disturbances,” he said.
“It is a hospital and not a place for demonstration. AAP leaders came here for creating disturbances at the hospital. Democracy doesn't mean creating obstruction. Leaders must also understand that hospital is not the place to hold any demonstrations,” he added.
