Delhi riots set to rock Parliament

New Delhi: As the second half of the Budget Session begins on Monday, the Congress along with other Opposition parties plan to corner the government in both Houses with demands for the resignation of home minister Amit Shah over the Delhi riots.

The Congress party is likely to submit adjournment motions in the Lok Sabha seeking a discussion on the widespread violence in Delhi last week.

RSP leader N.K. Premachandran said he would give an adjournment motion demanding a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Indian Union Muslim League and CPI and CPI(M) would also give notices under rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha.

“The government has miserably failed to maintain law and order. I think there must be some sort of a nexus between the rioters and a section of police officials, which resulted in gruesome killings and arson that has tarnished our image across the globe. This is a matter of serious concern for us,” Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said.

He said that the Congress will keep demanding the resignation of Union home minister Amit Shah on the floor of the House.

Senior lawyer and Congress Rajya Sabha member Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the party will take up in both Houses of Parliament the strongest possible terms for destruction of democratic values in this country.

“The manner and form of protest inside or out of Parliament is a matter of coordinated strategy and not an issue to be publicly aired. But the country is assured that we will discharge our responsibilities vigorously and without fear, despite extreme and illegal intrusion and harassment,” Mr Singhvi said.

Opposition parties, led by the Congress, have already approached President Ram Nath Kovind demanding that Mr Shah be removed as he is in-charge of Delhi police, which was totally unable to control the riots. A Congress delegation, including party
chief Sonia Gandhi, urged the President on Thursday over home minister Shah’s alleged “abdication of duty” during the communal violence in Delhi and remind the Centre of its “raj dharma”.

The Congress president had also 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 Budget Session of Parliament commenced on January 31 and continued till February 11. After a break, it will again commence on March 2 and continue till April 3.