New Delhi: Questioning Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s silence for three days during riots in Delhi, Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Thursday said Congress will not allow anyone to break the country. During a discussion on Delhi riots in the Rajya Sabha, he advised Shah to respect the Iron Man’s seat he is occupying.
The Congress leader said, “You are an Iron Man (a reference to Vallabhbhai Patel). You are sitting in Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s seat. Respect Sardar Patel. He had never thought innocent people would be killed.”
The Congress leader also said that surgical strike at Balakot was the right thing the government did. “But, why carry out a surgical strike on your own people?”
“Spare people of this country… And tell those who came from Uttar Pradesh wearing masks not to carry out surgical strike on our own people,” the Congress leader said.
“Two kinds of viruses have created havoc. At international level, it is coronavirus, about which research is still going on. The second virus is in Delhi… the communal virus, which too is spreading with high intensity.
“We all know the source of the virus — where this virus was spreading and who all were supporting it and who were the collaborators of this communal virus,” Sibal said.
The Congress leader gave a few instances where rioters were caught on CCTV cameras and police inaction was visible.
There is also a footage where policemen are breaking CCTV cameras. “Why are they damaging it? Everyone knows. They are doing so that the people who are rioting and carrying out arson are not identified,” he said.
“There is also a footage wherein cops are hitting an injured youth and telling him to sing the national anthem. Thereafter he dies. We all have seen it,” Sibal said.
He also questioned why police did not act on February 24 when prohibitory orders under Section 144 were enforced.
“When the police were asked about inflammatory speeches before a court, the police’s reply was they were not aware about it. They said they had not seen it,” he said.
The Congress leader said the entire world was aware what was happening in Delhi, but the police Commissioner was not. Sibal questioned whether Home Minister Amit Shah was aware about it. “He should tell us,” Sibal said.
The Rajya Sabha MP said it was after court’s intervention that the injured at Al-Hind hospital, a small clinic, were shifted to a government hospital and their report was prepared.
“There are around 87,000 police personnel in Delhi, they could not stop rioting,” said the Congress leader. He also contradicted what Shah said in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that the riots were part of a conspiracy.
“We are surprised that a press release was issued from the Press Information Bureau at 5 p.m. on February 25 where it was stated that ‘professionally’ it was found that the riot incidents are ‘spontaneous’. And yesterday, the Home Minister in Lok Sabha said that it was a conspiracy,” said Sibal, asking the Home Minister to explain the contradiction.
He also questioned the government statement that many rioters came from Uttar Pradesh. “It is clear now that the police were hand-in-glove with the rioters,” he said.
He also narrated how an 85-year-old man staying on the third floor was burnt alive and a 22-year-old man going along with two others on February 26 on a bike was stopped, his religion was asked, his clothes were removed and thereafter he was killed. “This was happening in Delhi,” he said.
He also hinted that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had put up a question mark over Home Minister Amit Shah ability to govern.
The Congress leader referred to Doval’s speech at Gurugram during police superintendants’ meeting that law is made by Parliament and that it is the responsibility of the police to implement it. “When police fails, it is a big question mark on Indian democracy,” Sibal said alluding to Doval’s speech.
“He was perhaps making remarks on the Home Minister,” he said.
Sibal questioned Shah as to why no FIR has been lodged so far against those who made inflammatory speeches.
The Congress leader said in Jammu and Kashmir, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is confined on the apprehension that if he comes out, there would be widespread protests. “And here in Delhi, those who are giving inflammatory speeches are roaming freely.”
