New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) A Congress delegation, led by it's president Sonia Gandhi, on Thursday met President Ram Nath Kovind and presented him a memorandum on the Delhi violence, demanding sacking of Home Minister Amit Shah, for 'abdication of duty'.
"Where was the Home Minister and what was he preoccupied with since last Sunday that he was unable, apparently, to give his attention to these grave events? The Home Minister abdicated his duty and allowed the situation to escalate through his inaction.
'Therefore, there is no option left but to demand the immediate sacking of the Home Minister, who has utterly and abjectly failed in the performance of his primary and principal duties", Ms Gandhi said, while reading out the memorandum.
'The President assured us that he will take cognisance of what the Congress have said in the memorandum,' she added.
Stating that the Central government totally failed in controlling the situation in Delhi, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said what was happened in Delhi, is a matter of deep concern and a matter of national shame.
"At least 34 people have died, while over 200 have been injured. This is the total failure of the Central government to control the situation. We requested the President to use his power to call upon the Central government to protect and preserve it's 'Raj dharma,' so that the citizens of this country and the national capital are assured peace, tranquility and justice", he said.
Besides Ms Gandhi and Dr Singh, senior Congress leaders like AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, P Chidambaram, Ahmed Patel, Anand Sharma, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kumari Selja, KC Venugopal and Sushmita Dev were also part of the delegation.
On Wednesday, the Congress Working Committee had convened to discuss the Delhi violence, in which at least 34 people lost their lives and more than 200 people got injured in the riot-like situation in the national capital's North East district.
"Delhi, specifically parts of North East Delhi, have been gripped by a wave of violence that has only grown in intensity with each passing day", the grand old party said in the memorandum.
It further said that instead of taking active steps to diffuse the situation, the Centre, as also the newly-elected Delhi Government, have remained mute spectators, as completely mindless rage, designed violence and organised looting of property, has continued unabated.
"Due to the complete inaction on part of the Home Minister and the Central Government, the violence has claimed the lives of at least 34 people and over 200 have been injured, at the last count.
'Properties worth several crores of rupees and business have fallen prey to unchecked arson and looting. This chaos, which is unprecedented in scale and tone, gives rise to several questions", it added.
The grand old party also said that there was clearly a shocking and unpardonable failure of intelligence agencies, leading to the violence.
"Was there any information provided, which could have helped prevent the escalation of violence or was it not acted upon by the Home Ministry?", it asked.
The Congress further said that what was particularly worrying was that an atmosphere of sectarian hate and communal tension has been spread and deliberately cultivated by certain individuals and forces.
"This violence has taken place over the course of four days, but you are aware that the seeds of this division have been sown by deliberately made inflammatory remarks of BJP leaders in the run up to (and even after) the Delhi elections and a calculated design to foment hate and division among the citizens of this country", the party said in the memorandum.
UNI KNA/AR RJ 1622