Delhi violence not riots but pre-planned attacks, say civil society members, want judicial probe

Feb 28, 2020

New Delhi: Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) Chairman Zafrul Islam and a several civil society members on Friday described the violence in the capital as not riots but well-planned attack on the people and demanded a judicial probe into the incidents.

Islam said what had happened in Delhi was ”mini Gujarat” and demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should resign for his failure to provide security to the people. According to unconfirmed reports about 100 people had died in the violence which he said continued for three days with the Police a mute spectator or rather an accomplice.

Senior journalist and former Rajya Sabha Member Shahid Siddiqui and former DMC chief Kamal Farooqui said the gun culture was alien to Delhi, whose people maintained harmony against heavy odds. It was the handiwork of outsiders.

Along with Islam, Siddiqui and Farooqui, others including Anil Chamadia, Prashant Tandon, Niaz Faruqui, IP Jose, who also addressed the press conference, demanded that all those creating hatred through their speeches should be brought to book.

A statement issued by them said that ,” We are deeply disturbed by the fact that not only hate speeches continue, the threatening and provocative tone of important constitutional functionaries, such as the CM of UP Yogi Adityanath, continue to fuel hate and animosity.”

In many cases, as is evident from multiple videos and reports by journalists, the Delhi Police was not only a mute spectator but played a partisan role siding with rioters, the civil society members said.

”The brutal violent assault on those protesting peacefully against ther CAA/NPR/NRC are a gross violation of the basic tenets of democracy. The right to dissent and protest against a government decision should not be portrayed as anti-national,” the civil society members said

They also demanded the Centre to provide jobs to the family members of those killed in the violence and compensation and financialy help to those who suffered injuries and lost their means of livelihood and property.

The Delhi Minorities Commission Chairman questioned the transfer of Justice Muralidhar of Delhi High Court who had wanted immediate registering of FIR against some political leaders for hate speeches.

He also lamented lack of relief for the victims, and also criticised the Delhi Government for not rising to the occasion.
–India News Stream