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'Shah must resign': Oppn hold protests against govt over Delhi riots

March 02, 2020 14:39 IST

Congress, Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party MPs staged separate dharnas on Monday near the Gandhi statue in Parliament, demanding answers from the government on the Delhi riots on the first day of the second half of the budget session.

IMAGE: Trinamool Congress leaders protest over Delhi violence at Parliament during the ongoing budget session. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

Covering their eyes with black bands and holding a finger on their lips in an apparent imitation of the Gandhi's Three Monkeys, MPs like Mohua Mitra, Sukhendu Shekhar Rai were part of the protest.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, Shashi Tharoor and others held placards demanding answers on the Delhi riots and the resignation of home minister Amit Shah.

Another protest, this time by four AAP MPs -- Sanjay Singh, Bhagwant Mann, N D Gupta and Sushil Gupta -- was held in front of Gandhi statue of Parliament against violence in Delhi.

 

They raised slogans of "BJP murdabad".

The Congress MPs held placards reading 'Save Our India', 'Prime Minister Must Answer' and 'Shah Must Resign'.

"When Delhi was burning, our home minister was playing the host in Ahmedabad. Playing a host is fine, but when Indians were being killed, that should have been the priority," Congress' leader in Lok Sabha Chowdhury said referring to the 'Namaste Trump' programme in which Shah had participated.

"There should be an investigation into the violence. The prime minister speaks after three days, the home minister does not say anything, Ajit Doval is sent to look into it, this is their failure," he told reporters outside Parliament.

IMAGE: Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and others raise slogans during a protest over Delhi violence near the Gandhi statue in Parliament. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

Speaking to reporters, Tharoor said the Congress wants a debate over what happened in Delhi.

"The home minister has a big responsibility as the law and order is under him. The home minister must resign as he could not fulfil his responsibilities," he said.

The Congress and other opposition parties have accused the police of bias and inaction in the Delhi violence.

At least 42 people died and more than 200 were injured during the communal riots in northeast Delhi.

Opposition MPs have also given notice in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to discuss the Delhi riots.

Those who gave notice include Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, Revolutionary Socialist Party MP NK Premachandran, Indian Union Muslim League MP PK Kunjalikutty, Communist Party of India-Marxist MP Elamaram Kareem, and CPI MP Binoy Vishwam.

A Congress delegation, including party chief Sonia Gandhi, urged President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday to call for home minister Shah's resignation over his alleged "abdication of duty" during the communal violence in Delhi and remind the Centre of its "raj dharma".

IMAGE: Aam Aadmi Party MPs Sanjay Singh, Bhagwant Mann, N D Gupta and Sushil Gupta raise slogans during a protest over Delhi violence. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

The Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party, had also deliberated on the issue last week and passed a resolution, demanding answers from both the central and Delhi governments, while also urging the people of Delhi to "reject the politics of hate".

The Congress president on Friday had deputed a five-member team to visit the riot-affected areas in northeast Delhi and submit a report to her after assessing the situation there.

The delegation comprised All India Congress Committee general secretary Mukul Wasnik, AICC in-charge for Delhi Shaktisinh Gohil, Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja, former MP Tariq Anwar and Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev.

The budget session of Parliament commenced on January 31 and continued till February 11.

After a break, it commenced on March 2 and will continue till April 3.

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