OROP suicide: Rahul Gandhi, Kejriwal should have been allowed to offer condolence, says TMC

Responding to the move to prevent Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia from visiting the hospital to see the body of the ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal who allegedly committed suicide, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday said if they wanted to meet the family, they should have been allowed to offer the condolence.

TMC spokesperson Derek O' Brien, who reached the residence of Grewal in Bhiwani in Haryana, told media that there was double grieving happening as the family was manhandled.

"I came and spent one hour, so on an occasion like this just to be with family....it's a bubble graving here because they are devastated because they lost their father. They had a terrible evening yesterday. Yesterday's event has really left them distressed. It is a. Double grieving happening here - one for their loss, other for what happened yesterday. Family shouldn't have been manhandled," he said.

"Whether it was Arvind Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi or Mr. Sisodia if you want and be with the family as a public representative then you can go but I think the bigger issue is what the family did wrong to have them arrested. If Rahul Gandhi or Mr. Kejriwal wanted to meet the family they should have been allowed," he added.

Chiming in the political storm that has erupted over the suicide of the ex-serviceman, who took his own life over the delay in implementation of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday expressed shock at the detention of her Delhi counterpart, saying it was "unprecedented and unacceptable".

The Congress vice-president was detained for a second time yesterday by the Delhi Police after he tried to meet the family members of the ex-serviceman.

Gandhi, along with other Congress leaders, including Jyotiraditya Scindia and Ajay Maken were carted into a police van and taken away.

Yesterday, Gandhi was first detained at the RML Hospital when he tried to meet the family members of Grewal and was taken to Mandir Marg Police Station. He was detained for around 70 minutes before being released.

Grewal consumed poison on Tuesday. However, the cause behind his suicide is yet to be ascertained.

Grewal's cremation will take place at his hometown Bhiwani in Haryana today.