OROP: Security personnel stopped Rahul Gandhi from entering RML Hospital to meet family of ex-serviceman

NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi and top Congress leaders were today detained twice as a high-voltage political drama unfolded here following the alleged suicide by a former soldier over OROP, prompting the party vice president to demand an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The least this government can do is to apologise to the family of the deceased soldier for making them suffer," said an angry Gandhi after being finally released at night amid strong protests by party leaders. At a joint press conference at the AICC headquarters, former Defence Minister A K Antony warned that "things will be difficult" if the government did not implement the OROP in toto immediately and remove the pay commission anomalies. Holding the Modi government responsible for the suicide of Subedar Ram Kishan Grewal (70), a resident of Bhiwani district in Haryana, Antony and party chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala demanded that Prime Minister apologise to the nation and the armed forces for "misleading them" that OROP has been implemented. "The present government is responsible for this suicide. Modi government, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister, is talking for last one year that they have implemented OROP fully, but have not yet done so. They have diluted the OROP as implemented by UPA. "Do you not feel ashamed? He is a son of an army veteran... and you are arresting them?" an angry Rahul told a group of Delhi Police, slamming detention of family members of an ex-serviceman who allegedly committed suicide over the OROP issue. In a video shot inside Mandir Marg police station, where Rahul was taken following his detention after he tried to enter the RML hospital to meet the deceased Ram Kishan Grewal's family, the Congress leader was seen lashing out at a group of Delhi Police personnel for taking into custody some relatives of Grewal. Pointing to Grewal's father and brother, Rahul demanded their release and termed their detention as "shameful" "What is your name? You think the family of India's martyr should be arrested? Do you not feel ashamed?," Rahul asked one senior police official when he turned down Congress Vice President's request to release the family members of the deceased. Gandhi reached RML hospital to inquire about the entire matter related with the alleged suicide of an ex-serviceman over the issue of the One Rank One Pension scheme (OROP). However, he had to return from the gate itself as he was not allowed to go inside the building. "Naya Hindustan ban raha hai bhaiya", (A new Indian is in the making) said Rahul Gandhi after not being allowed to meet family of ex-serviceman in RML Hospital. Soon after the drama, he was detained by cops. "It is a non-democratic kind of mentality," Congress VP added. He again urged PM Narendra Modi to implement OROP in "meaningful way" after ex-serviceman allegedly committed suicide.

I urge the PM once again: soldiers should not have to struggle to claim what is their due.OROP must be implemented in a meaningful way!

— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 2, 2016

"Let us show our gratitude to our brave soldiers not only through our words but also through our actions.My letter to the Hon. Prime Minister", Congress VP tweeted.  

Let us show our gratitude to our brave soldiers not only through our words but also through our actions.My letter to the Hon. Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/8J1pLCs54N — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) October 29, 2016

The 70-year-old ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal had been upset over the issue for sometime. He had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since Monday against the delay in the implementation of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme. What's there in suicide note: In the suicide note left by the ex army jawan, he said that he is sacrificing his life for his country, for his motherland and for all the army men in the nation. Grewal committed suicide by consuming poison at a park in New Delhi area on Tuesday evening. Police said that he along with some other ex-servicemen was in the process of submitting a memorandum over the issue of OROP. Ex-servicemen have been protesting over the OROP scheme introduced by the government for quite some time now.