Sena slams Centre for failing to curb Delhi violence, draws comparison to 1984 riots
The Shiv Sena on Wednesday hit out at the Centre for failing to control the violence that erupted in Delhi between the supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and those opposing the law. In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena opined that the scenes in the national capital were a reminder of the gruesome anti-Sikh riots of 1984 and termed it a horror show. It also said that violence erupted as US president Donald Trump was on a state visit to India and that Delhi was never defamed so much before.
Violence has broken out in several areas in north-east Delhi in clashes over the CAA. Twenty-three people have been killed in the clashes so far.
“Even as US President Donald Trump’s India visit is going on, there is a riot in Delhi. Even as PM Modi and Donald Trump were conducting talks, the city was burning. Whatever may be the reasons behind the riots, the contention that the Centre has failed to maintain law and order can arise. Congress is accused of the 1984 riots against the Sikhs even today. The current horror film of Delhi is a reminder of the horrors of the 1984 riots. It has to be made clear who is responsible for this violence. It is strange that the violence erupted after the Delhi election concluded. In this election, the BJP lost and then Delhi has been reduced to this,” the editorial said.
The Sena targeted the Union home ministry’s inability to gather information about the planning of the communal violence, saying that this was dangerous for national security. The Sena said the courage shown during the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A was not seen when it came to curbing the violence.
“The home ministry is saying that the riots are a conspiracy to malign the image of Delhi during Trump’s visit. But the fact that such a conspiracy was hatched without the home ministry’s knowledge is dangerous for national security. It would have been good if the Delhi riots could have been curbed with the same courage, which was displayed, while abrogating Article 370 and 35A. Trump came to Delhi with the message of love, but what unfolded before him? Delhi was never defamed like this before,” the Sena said.
The Sena questioned who are the men who were deployed in the affected areas. “Men in Army uniforms were deployed in Jafrabad, but the Army spokesperson made an official statement that ‘these not our jawans’. Then who are these people who are deployed in riot-affected areas? Earlier, one BJP worker wore a burqa and entered the protest at Shaheen Bagh. Therefore, it is impossible to know who is roaming in what clothes and wearing a mask,” the Saamana editorial said.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has blamed the union home minister Amit Shah for violence in Delhi and sought his resignation on moral grounds. NCP MP Supriya Sule also demanded a transparent investigation in to the violence.
Sule has questioned security lapse at the time when US President Donal Trump was in the country. “It’s a huge security lapse. How it has happened when the US President was visiting the country. I urge the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) to conduct a transparent investigation in to the violence,” said the Baramati MP and daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
The NCP leader also supported the demand made by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. “I believe the union home minister (Amit Shah) is responsible for this. I am also of the view that the union minister Amit Shah ji should resign from his position on moral grounds,” Sule said. On Wednesday, Gandhi has held the central government and union home minister responsible for prevailing violent situation in Delhi. She has also demanded Shah’s resignation.
