Cops make leaders feel welcome

It is not every day that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh step into a police station.

The occasion was not lost on the staff at Parliament Street police station where the leaders courted arrest as part of their `Save Democracy’ protest on Friday.

The staff at the police station and the adjoining office of the area’s Assistant Commissioner’s of Police (ACP) gave them what some would call `VIP treatment.”

Photos circulated on a Congress leader’s WhatsApp account showed the police officer extending all courtesies to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders after their spell of slogan-shouting.

The leaders, who arrived at the station around 10.30 am, were seated at the ACP’s office for about half an hour. Cold drinks and a McDonald beverage were served, while the arrest-related paper work continued in the background.

In the pictures, Ghulam Nabi Azad is seen holding a cold drink, and juice carton is on the table.

At least one police officer wanted to capture the moment. The inspector is seen posing with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Asked later about the it, an officer denied to this reporter that anyone took pictures with the VIPs – even when he was shown the WhatsApp photos.

“We offered them water and when they assured us that they would not violate the law and order provisions, we let them go,” he said.

The officer said he would offer tea and a glass of water to any visitor to the office.