The Opposition on Wednesday slammed the Centre over Delhi violence with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and NCP demanding the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah and CPI(M) saying that the Delhi is a “chilling reminder” of the 2002 Gujarat riots. The Opposition also sought time from President Ram Nath Kovind to discuss the violence that has engulfed parts of northeast Delhi. CPI(M) general secretary Yechury has written a letter to the President seeking appointment for the group of leaders.
Calling for Amit Shah's resignation, Sonia held the Centre, the Home Minister and the Delhi Government responsible for the communal violence in the city. Senior Congress leaders including general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra participated in a party peace march from the AICC headquarters against the violence in Delhi and would submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday.
Sonia spoke to the media after chairing a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, and alleged there was a "well-planned" conspiracy behind the violence, that has also led to injuries to more than 200 people over the past three days.
NCP MP Supriya Sule also demanded Amit Shah's resignation for the "huge security lapse" in connection with the violence in Delhi and also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conduct a "transparent" probe into the alleged security lapse.
"The Centre should be held responsible for what has happened in Delhi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah must resignowning moral responsibility," Sule told reporters outside the Vidhan Bhavan (Legislature Complex) in Mumbai. "It is a huge security lapse during US President Donald Trump''s visit. The home minister is responsible for it," she added.
"There should be an impartial probe into it...It is my humble request that the PM carries out a transparent inquiry into the security lapse," the NCP leader said.
Talking to reporters separately, former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said, "TheGodhra model has been replicated in Delhi."He was referring to the 2002 post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat, in which over 1,000 people, mostly from the minority community, were killed.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday said the violence in Delhi is a "chilling reminder" of the 2002 Gujarat riots. He said there was no way to restore peace and normalcy in Delhi other than by calling in the Army.
"It's clear that the violence in Delhi has the sanction of police and that of the powers that govern them. Adequate compensation should be provided to the kin of the dead and those injured by the Centre and the state government," he said.
"I, along with the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India, D Raja, President of the Loktanthrik Janata Dal, Sharad Yadav, President of the Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav and prominent leaders of political parties like the DMK, NCP and others wish to seek an appointment with you at the earliest, preferably the 28th of February, 2020," Yechury said in his the letter to President Kovind.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution, demanding answers from both the governments, while also urging the people of Delhi to "reject the politics of hate and do their best in healing the rifts caused by these shameful events".
"After reviewing the situation, the CWC is of the firm opinion that what has happened in Delhi is a colossal failure of duty for which the entire responsibility must be borne by the Central Government and particularly the Home Minister and (the CWC) calls upon the Home Minister to tender his resignation immediately," said Gandhi, reading out the CWC resolution.
She went on to attack the AAP dispensation, saying Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his government are "equally responsible for not activating the administration" to reach out to the people to maintain peace and harmony. "It is the collective failure of the two governments that has resulted in a great tragedy in the capital city which threatens to become worse by the day," she said.