ROP suicide row: Rahul detained again, adamant on apology from Centre

NEW DELHI: After being detained for the third time in two days over his agitation against the Centre on the alleged suicide of ex-servicemen Ram Kishan Grewal, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday remained adamant on an apology from the government over the ill-treatment and abuse meted out to the deceased veterans family by the Delhi Police.   "They (police) have kept me in this car for more than half an hour and are not letting me go," Gandhi said. Further stating that the police detained him after invoking Section 144- which empowers a magistrate to prohibit an assembly of more than four people in an area, Gandhi added that he has not been informed as to what the police intends to do with him. "Yesterday the family of the deceased veteran were treated miserably right in front of me. They were dragged and abused I am outraged by that as this affects the morale of our soldier protecting us on the borders. I want the Centre to apologise to the family," he added. Meanwhile a scuffle broke out between the police and the Congress workers who were chanting against the government over the detention of Rahul Gandhi, who was later carted away from the site of protest. High drama ensued at Jantar Mantar today when Gandhi tried to join the candle march but was almost immediately flanked by cops and taken away to Tughlaq Road Police Station. "Day by day the Modi Government is showing its true face. All Rahul Gandhi and other Congress party workers did today was lead a peaceful march. This is the third time he has been detained in two days. We had given a notice to Delhi Police informing them about the march. This is nothing but a clear case of bullying," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala told. Earlier today, Rahul Gandhi reached the residence of ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal in Bhiwani, Haryana to attend his cremation ceremony. Talking about his multiple detentions by the Delhi Police yesterday, Rahul stated that he was arrested for doing his job and that all he wanted to do was speak to the family of the victim. "I was detained for doing my job. When I asked the police as to why they were doing this, they said that they had received the orders to do so from the top. Is it wrong to offer condolences? I just wanted to meet the family once. When they came out to meet me they were beaten and dragged to the police station," Rahul told the media after he was released from the Tilak Marg Police Station. For the second time on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi was detained after he met the family of ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal, who allegedly committed suicide over the delay in implementation of the One Rank, One Pension. Earlier, Rahul was stopped close to the gates of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and then taken to the Mandir Marg Police station. Issuing a statement in its defence, the Delhi Police asserted that they were reduced to detaining political leaders as they had to take law and order into consideration.