BJP raps 'professional provokers' as clamour grows against police role on Delhi violence

A day after Sonia Gandhi set up a five-member party team to visit riot-hit Delhi regions, Congress on Saturday trained guns on Delhi police for allegedly carrying out “one-sided investigation” and urged the Supreme Court to appoint an amicus curiae to scrutinise cases where people are being framed and put in jails.

Joining the issue with Sharma, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted “Delhi Police comes directly under Amit Shah who has stayed silent all through the violence. It is incumbent upon the courts to take suo moto notice of this grave incident and bring the guilty to book.

As political sparring over the issue continued, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi went hammer and tongs against the Opposition alleging that some political parties and "professional provokers" were rubbing salt into the wounds of those affected by the communal riots and asked for stopping the “secular ride” over Delhi violence.

Expressing confidence of harmony prevailing finally, Naqvi warned that “provokers and perpetrators” will be put behind bars.

While Naqvi flagged the instances of harmony and brotherhood amid all the violence, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addressing a press conference, separately toyed with the idea of honouring those who have “kept the spirit of India alive” through communal harmony in Delhi.

BJP leader from Delhi Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, on the other hand, announced that he was joining with BJP MP Tejasvi Surya in Bangalore against “Jihadi Violence In Delhi against Hindus” and appealed to people to join in large numbers. His appeal was regarding a condolence meeting for Delhi riot victims (#Shradhanjali Delhi riot victims) organized by Banglore South Citizens Forum, which gave a call “Bengaluru Stands United Against Anti Nationals”.

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, was, however, unsparing in his criticism of the role of Delhi police, alleging that it “allowed Delhi to burn for four days” and suggested a bipartisan approach of the force in taking action.

Sharma took forward his party line that the BJP has not taken action against any BJP leader making provocative speeches and wondered “what is the definition of hate speech? Whether the speeches made by the BJP leaders were hate speeches while the protests are a threat to the society as per the cases registered. Shockingly, as per an FIR against a group of people and an organisation called United Against Hate.”

He urged the Supreme Court to take cognisance of all these cases and appoint an amicus curiae (who assists the court by offering information or insight having a bearing on a case) to scrutinise all these cases where people are being “framed” and put in jails.