The BJP on Wednesday alleged that the communal violence in Delhi was a pre-planned conspiracy and lauded Union Home Minister Amit Shah for containing the Delhi violence within 36 hours. The Opposition hit out at the Government as the riots had international ramifications and called for an impartial probe.
Participating in the debate in Lok Sabha on Delhi riots that have claimed 52 lives, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi defended the Home Minister Amit Shah and said the violence was brought under control within 36 hours which, if you look at in hindsight, was in the making for months.
She also claimed that the Home Minister did not go to the violence-hit areas of northeast Delhi to avoid “splitting of security forces to guard him”. “What do you expect? That Home Minister would go and sit in a police station? Would that have not caused splitting of security forces just to guard him?” Lekhi asked.
The Lok Sabha discussed the Delhi riots under Rule 193 of the House proceedings which means there will be no voting after the debate.
Earlier, initiating the debate in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader sought resignation of Shah, a demand echoed by TMC’s Saugata Roy and NK Premachandran of RSP.
Responding to Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhury allegations, Lekhi defended party leaders Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Kapil Mishra, who have been accused by the Opposition of setting the stage for the violence that rocked northeast Delhi and left more than 50 people dead. Anurag and Verma made comments on January 20 and January 28, while the violence started on February 23. Kapil Mishra was held responsible for acts of Amanatullah Khan, Sharjeel Imam and Tahir Hussain, she said.
Without naming the Congress, she blamed the grand old party for the riots and said the Government had controlled the violence in 36 hours. “During 1950 to 1964, as many as 243 riots are documented. When Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister, 337 riots happened during 1966 to 1977 and 1980 and 1984. Similarly, when Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister, 291 riots occurred during 1984 and 1989. Out of 1094 riots, 871 happened during Congress regime, which was 73 per cent,” she said.
Lekhi countered Chowdhury’s remarks on the role of Mussolini in the RSS ideology. She said that Chowdhury’s leader’s - who is sitting behind him (pointing at Rahul Gandhi without mentioning his name) - maternal grandfather was Mussolini’s soldier. Somehow Congress did not pick this mention as an issue, though Treasury Benches were supporting Lekhi with thumping in the desks.
Lekhi, alleged that some people are taking political benefit out of the incidents of violence. Referring to the killing of IB officer Ankit Sharma during the riots, she said 400 wounds were found on his body. “What kind of hatred was this... We should discuss that also,” she said, adding the riots were pre-planned. The BJP leader alleged that the opposition are defending minority vote bank politics and have forgotten about Sharjeel Imam and AAP MLA Amanatullah. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla expunged certain names taken by Lekhi and asked her not to name people.
She alleged that after the speech of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at Ramleela maidan, people started gathering. Similar speeches were given by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi as well, Lekhi said. “Why the opposition is spreading rumours,” she said.
Tejasvi Surya of BJP alleged that while there wasn’t anything anti-Muslim in CAA, the anti-CAA protests had “a lot of anti-Hindu” feelings. BJP MPs Nalin Kateel also countered the Opposition accusations. BJP leader Nishikant Dubey said the transfer was recommended by the Supreme Court collegium and the Government had nothing to do with it.
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said there is a “tsunami of Hindutva hate” and called for an impartial probe to find the prepatrators of the violence. Some of his remarks evoked sharp response from the Treasury benches, with at least two Union Ministers — Ravi Shankar Prasad and Kishan Reddy — registering their protests. Reddy accused Owaisi and his party for erasing Hindus population from certain areas of Hyderabad.
This led to heated argument between the ruling and the opposition benches. Reminding members to keep cool and avoid mention of any communities, Speaker Om Birla ordered to expunge certain remarks made by Owaisi.
T R Baalu (DMK) said that the Delhi riots and the law and order situation of the national capital were discussed in parliaments of the UK, Iran, Indonesia, Turkey and Malaysia. These countries “are making fun of us”, he said.
Baalu said that “what went wrong” as over 50 people were killed in the Delhi violence. He said that although Delhi Police is efficient in manging the issues, “why all went wrong” on those days.