Delhi violence: Cong leaders meet prez, demand Shah's resignation

New Delhi: As like other political parties, the grand old party too came into action over the issue of violence in northeast Delhi in which about 37 people have been killed and over 300 people were injured.

Continuing its attack on newly elected Delhi government as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government at the Centre, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday accused both of governments of being "mute spectators" as violence continued unabated in northeast Delhi.

The Congress president, who led a delegation of senior Congress leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, met President Ram Nath Kovind to seek normalcy and peace in violence-hit Delhi. After meeting the President, Gandhi once again demanded the dismissal of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Other members of the 11-member delegation included leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former union minister P Chidambaram, senior leaders Ahmed Patel and Randeep Surjewala.

"Delhi, specifically parts of northeast Delhi, have been gripped by a wave of violence that has only grown in intensity with each passing day. Instead of taking active steps to remedy or diffuse the situation, the Central government as also the newly elected Delhi government, have remained mute spectators as completely mindless rage, designed violence and organised looting of property has continued unabated," Gandhi said, while reading portions of the memorandum submitted by the party.

The party has demanded the resignation of the Union Home Minister and said that the government should ensure that "the life, liberty and property of the citizens is preserved, secured and protected". The memorandum has also raised concerns over the failure of intelligence agencies, inadequacy of the Delhi Police and the alleged inflammatory remarks made by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"What has happened in the last four days in national capital region is a matter of deep concern and a matter of national shame. It is a reflection of the total failure of the central government to control the situation. We called upon the President of India and requested him to use his power to call upon the central government to protect and preserve its raj dharma so that the citizens are assured of peace, tranquility and justice," said Manmohan Singh, while addressing reporters after the meeting.

Informing about the response of the President, Sonia Gandhi said that the President has assured the delegation of looking into their concerns.

Raising questions over the approach of the Home Minister and Delhi CM in handling the situation, Gandhi, in

her memorandum to the President, said, "Where was the Home Minister and what was he preoccupied with since last Sunday that he was unable, apparently, to give his attention to these grave events? For that matter, the Delhi Chief Minister, and the newly elected

Delhi government was also completely missing from the scene."

The Congress president has also asked about the strength of the police force deployed on the night of Sunday when there were clear indications that violence will intensify further.

"In light of these disturbing facts and omissions, only one conclusion emerges that the Home Minister abdicated his duty and allowed the situation to escalate through his inaction," she said in the memorandum.

Notably, the party's highest decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), had met on Wednesday and adopted a resolution condemning the violence in Delhi.