Delhi riots: Colossal failure, Amit Shah should resign, says Sonia Gandhi

The Congress president also hit out at BJP leader Kapil Mishra for making a statement that allegedly incited violence in the city.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with others during CWC meeting (Photo| EPS/ Parveen Negi)
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with others during CWC meeting (Photo| EPS/ Parveen Negi)

NEW DELHI: Calling the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as shocking, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday said that Home Minister Amit Shah should tender resignation taking responsibility of Delhi riots. 

Briefing the media after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet, Gandhi said the violence is being spread by the BJP workers and the police has failed to take any action. 

She attacked Modi, Shah and Delhi CM saying their silence on the clashes where 20 people have been killed is "shocking". 

"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 calls upon the Home Minister to tender his resignation immediately," said the party resolution. 

"The tragic events since last Sunday have a history, design and pattern. It was evident even during the Delhi elections. Several leaders of the BJP made inflammatory statements clearly intended to create an atmosphere of fear and hate. The last of these statements were made on Sunday when a BJP leader gave an ultimatum of three days to the Delhi police and warned that “after three days don’t tell us anything," said the CWC resolution.

The party resolution also said that the deliberate inaction of the central and state governments in the last 72 hours has resulted in the loss of 20 lives so far, including a head constable, while hundreds including a journalist are in hospital with gunshot injuries. 

The violence has continued unabated on the streets of North-East Delhi.

The party said that the Chief Minister and the Delhi 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," it added.

The party refrained from demanding deployment of Army but said that paramilitary forces be deployed in sufficient numbers to check violence. 

"What were the reports given by the intelligence agencies in the days immediately after the conclusion of the Delhi elections and leading upto today? What was the strength of the police force deployed on the night of Sunday when there were clear indications that violence will break out?" said the resolution.
 
The CWC believes that the situation is grave and requires urgent action. 

"Adequate security forces must be deployed immediately to bring the situation under control. Peace committees must be formed in every mohalla consisting of members of all communities to ensure that there are no untoward incidents. Senior civil servants must be deployed in each district to take charge of the administration to ensure that the administrative machinery responds to the evolving situation. The Chief Minister of Delhi must be visible in the affected areas and in constant communication with the people. The CWC appeals to the people of Delhi to reject the politics of hate and do their best in healing the rifts caused by these shameful events, to help rebuild all that has been lost and to ensure that such events do not take place ever again," it added. 

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