The nation on Friday remembered former prime minister Indira Gandhi on her 19th death anniversary.

But her grandson Varun says he was not allowed to visit her memorial in New Delhi on the occasion.

Son of the late Sanjay Gandhi and Maneka, Varun has demanded an apology from Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who hosted a function at the memorial to commemorate the leader.

He has written a letter to the CM saying he and a "group of people were harassed and physically prevented from entering Shakti Sthal, Indira Gandhi's memorial, by the police".

"The entrance was blocked and I was actually asked to leave. Although we had complied with all the security checks, we were informed that we could not go in as it posed a security risk," says the letter.

"Security personnel were not only rude, they appeared to have mala fide intentions," it adds.

Special Commissioner of Police (Security and Operations) S K Kain rejects the charges.

He says Varun reached the VIP gate of the memorial at around 0712 IST "along with 70-80 people and wanted to go inside through the special invitee gate without having requisite invitation cards".

The security men told them that they all could not be permitted to go in, the officer says.

After senior officers intervened, Varun and nine of his associates were allowed in, he adds.

Varun then wanted that his entire group go to the memorial to pay tributes before the aide-de-camp of President A P J Abdul Kalam, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Kain says.

He was told that if he wished he alone could do it but others could not be allowed because of the established security drill, the officers says.

Varun "did not accept this proposition and quietly left the venue along with his group", he adds.

Dikshit has refused to apologise, saying she had nothing to do with the security.