Delhi Police only did its job, says BJP on OROP-linked detentions

Defending the Delhi Police for detain political leaders seeking to take mileage from the suicide of ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal over the delay in implementation of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said the police was only doing its job.

Commenting on Wednesday's detention of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia near the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli told ANI, "If an agency, or whoever responsible for security takes a decision keeping the law and order situation in mind, then those people should be allowed to do their jobs."

 

"There is a time and place for everything. Whoever goes to a hospital is either unwell or meeting someone unwell, there are doctors and nurses there doing their work. At such at time, just for the sake of politics if a scene is created, then it raises questions," Kohli added while referring to Gandhi's attempt to enter the hospital.

He said that if the Congress party is so concerned about the implementation of OROP, then it needed to be asked why it had been unable to do so during the 42 years they were in power.

Earlier, lashing out at the Centre for mishandling the suicide of Grewal, Gandhi called on the government to apologise to the bereaved family who were detained and allegedly abused by the Delhi Police.

Gandhi also said, "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."

However, in a statement, the Delhi Police asserted that they were forced to detain the political leaders as they had to take law and order into consideration.

"During protest by political parties at RML Hospital today, none has been arrested. When leaders along with the crowd started gathering at RML and medical services got severely affected and orderliness deteriorated, the police requested them to move away. Despite several requests when they didn't move and refused, the leaders and protesting followers were removed to police stations and detained. All concerned are requested to help Delhi Police in maintaining peace and orderliness," the statement added.

In a footage seen from inside the Mandir Marg Police station, Gandhi can be heard saying, "You have arrested the son of an army veteran. Why have you done that? Aren't you ashamed? What kind of work are you doing?"

Besides Rahul, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders were whisked away to the police stations. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was detained outside the Lady Hardinge Hospital.