Amit Shah must be sacked for allowing Delhi violence: Cong

New Delhi: Holding Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for the violence that shook the national capital on Republic Day, the Congress on Wednesday demanded the Home Minister's resignation over the issue.

Accusing the Modi government of being part of a concerted conspiracy to malign the farmers' agitation by allowing some miscreants to enter the Red Fort complex and hoist a religious flag, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked how a group of 500 people could enter the complex without being stopped by the police, who remained mute spectators as the miscreants indulged in hooliganism and violence.

"A concerted conspiracy, aided and abetted by the Modi government is unfolding to malign the entire farmers'' movement and to push them out and bury the demand for repeal of the three anti-agriculture black laws under the din and noise of FIRs," Surjewala told reporters.

The Congress leader further said that the Delhi Police instead of booking and arresting the miscreants involved in violence and unruly incidents, is actually registering false cases against the leaders of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha.

"It is a huge, colossal security lapse and intelligence failure on the part of none less than the Home Minister Amit Shah and he must be sacked without delay," he said. Surjewala further said, "Can such a Home Minister, who is the weakest Home Minster in the history of India in last 73 years, be permitted to stay in office even for a single day? Amit Shah must be sacked and if the Prime Minister does not sack him, it will be apparent that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a part of this concerted conspiracy to malign the farmers' movement".

He further said that this is the second time in less than a year that under Shah's leadership the national capital has been pushed to the brink of unabated, unchecked and uncontrolled violence.

"Did Amit Shah and intelligence agencies not know about the open declaration over last 24-48 hours by these violent and anti-social elements, who segregated themselves from the farmers and expressed their desire that they are going to go to the Red Fort," the Congress leader asked. He claimed the policy of the Modi government and the BJP from day one has been very clear - to defame and remove the farmers from agitating against the new farm laws.

Meanwhile, continuing his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the border stand off with China, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused him of 'weakening' and 'destroying' the country and claimed that "for the first time" Chinese troops were "sitting inside Indian territory".

On a two-day visit to Kerala, where assembly elections are to be held in the next few months, he virtually kicked off the campaign of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and also slammed the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF, alleging their policies have caused 'damage' to the state.

Addressing UDF conventions at Thana and Nilambur in Malappuram district, forming part of his Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, Gandhi also alleged RSS was spreading hatred and it was responsible for 'collapse' of the country's economy.