For the third consecutive day, violence continued in Delhi as shops, vehicles and houses were vandalised by protestors. Till reports last came in already 13 persons have lost their lives during violence that erupted over the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in North-east Delhi.
Aslam Shaikh, Maharashtra Minister told Afternoon Voice, “The protest which has been going all over India is being supported by all communities. The opposition now has realised that all this is the work of miscreants. Their (BJP) MLAs are openly provoking and instigating the people to take law in their hands that is why the violence is taking place in Delhi.”
Abbas Kazmi- Advocate said,“What is going on in Delhi in the name of religion is pathetic and I don’t understand why the people in power sitting over there are doing nothing effective in fact to the extent that the police is roaming and helping the arsonists. It’s high time that effective steps should be taken and this bloodshed must be stopped. Otherwise it may spread all over the India.”Â
More than 1000 armed battalions of Delhi cops were deployed in the national capital. Fresh incidents of stone pelting have been reported in Maujpur and Brahmapuri.Five shops have been burnt in Garni area. For controlling the rioters, police had to resort to firing tear gas shells. A tyre market in Gokulpuri was set on fire though no casualties were reported.
Abu Azmi, Samajwadi Party leader said, “Looking at the stand that people have been taking against the CAA law, the government is trying its best to suppress the voice of dissenting people. This is a wrong move on the part of the government. Instead the government should go to the people and pacify them.”
Kumar Ketkar, Rajya Sabha MP and former Journalist said, “I have personally visited Delhi and all I can say that all the protesters have been completely peaceful, passive and of a non violence kind. They were seen carrying tri-colour flags, they read preamble publicly and they did not even use an abusive word against anybody. Therefore this violence is definitely provoked deliberately and I feel it has been provoked by the government because they want to create ruckus and riots. I refuse to believe that any of the protesters believes in violence or took part in violent activities.”
Protestors had set a fire engine on fire as three firefighters sustained injuries. Mobs set on fire two vehicles in Jyoti Nagar area of north-east Delhi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with senior Delhi police officials and top Home ministry officials to discussed the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi. He appealed to the public to refrain from spreading rumours and added that “political parties should cooperate with the police”. He asked the Police Commissioner of Delhi to have senior police officers to be present in Police control rooms to dispel the rumours. On his part, the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held an urgent meeting with AAP MLAs and officials from violence affected areas.
Nawab Malik, Maharashtra cabinet minister and NCP leader said, “The way provocative statements are being made by the ruling party, it looks like that the government is making the opposition a party in all this violence that is going on even though it is playing an instigative role. I feel that the current situation is being created due to the negligence of the Home Department.”
Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar, Congress Rajya Sabha MP said, “Violence in Delhi on the CAA is beyond condemnation. It is just unacceptable. Being the capital of the country and absolutely cosmopolitan, such violence has no place in Delhi culture. Both the state government and the central government simply can’t run away from their responsibilities. They must ensure that for no reason whatsoever, such violence cannot be tolerated.”
Violence rips capital
- 13 people, including a police officer have been killed
- Senior citizen’s source of livelihood burnt in Delhi violence
- Curfew imposed in the Maujpur, Jafrabad, Chandbagh, and Karawal Nagar areas
- JK 24 journalist in serious condition
- 1,000 personnel of Delhi Police deployed in affected areas
Majeed Memon, NCP Rajya Sabha MP said, “It is very unfortunate to see and hear about the violence that is going on in the National Capital. We can only condemn that this violence is trying to defeat the very spirit of the people who are on the streets for so long. They are trying their best to protest peacefully but it seems that there is some conspiracy to create violence to destroy the protest that is going on. I wish to only condemn this violence and think that there can be possibility of some political and religious conspiracy that needs to be proved.”
Husain Dalwai, Congress Rajya Sabha MP said, “I don’t understand why all the violence is taking place under the Modi-led government. From the time Amit Shah entered politics, riots and protests are taking place all over the country. He is not the right person for the post of the home minister.”
