NEW DELHI: While the BJP high command and party spokespersons have either remained silent or subtly endorsed the role of Delhi Police in handling the riots that erupted in northeast Delhi on February 25, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Saturday fired the first salvo, saying “police failed to assess the situation” and demanded “action for the lapses.”
Mr Tiwari, a member of Parliament from northeast Delhi, is the first saffron leader to back the claims of many riot victims and echoed the wails that went unheeded despite repeated phone calls to the police control room and even directly to senior cops. Coming down hard on Delhi Police, whose commissioner of police Amulya Patnaik didn’t visit the riot-hit areas even once, said, “Aaklan lagane mein chuk ho gayi. Unhone (police) socha hoga ki jaise Shaheen Bagh me chal raha hai waise hi yaha bhi log shanti se baithenge (Police failed to anticipate the violence. They probably thought that like anti-CAA protestors are sitting peacefully in Shaheen Bagh, protester in northeast Delhi will also sit peacefully). But violence spread here very fast. Investigation must be done for lapses and those responsible must be punished.”
The MP said that he received thousands of distress calls from several areas with people saying that they need more police force in their areas.
The riots in Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Gokalpuri, Khajuri Khas and Bhajanpur in northeast Delhi have left 43 people dead and over 250 injured.
Earlier, Mr Tiwari had spoken up against the vitriolic campaign carried out by a section of BJP leaders during the Delhi Assembly elections. Criticising hate speeches, the Delhi BJP chief wanted that a proper forum or agency beset up which would clearly identify hate speeches and take action against those indulging in it.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra, who had unsuccessfully contested the recent Assembly polls from Model Town, led a gathering in support of the CAA at Maujpur Chowk in the Jafarabad area on Sunday, after which violence erupted between pro and anti-CAA groups.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Mishra had issued an ultimatum to the police to vacate the roads blocked by anti-CAA protesters in Jafarabad and Bhahanpura areas within three days and warned that he would be back on the streets if no action was taken.
When asked about Mr Mishra’s hate speech, Delhi BJP president said, “Who will decide whether a speech comes under hate speech or not. One agency should be constituted which will look into all speeches and BJP does not support any hate speech.”
He added that once hate speeches and those giving hate speeches are identified, they should be barred from fighting polls, irrespective of the party.
