NEW DELHI: The Delhi Minorities Commission has named senior BJP leaders in its fact-finding report for their role in the riots that broke out in northeast Delhi in February. It has also slammed the Delhi Police for their “failure to protect life and property” during the riots.
The 130-page report released by Zafrul Islam Khan, Chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission, and submitted to the Delhi Government is highly critical of the role of BJP leaders and the police in the riots. While the Delhi Police and the BJP have trashed the report, sources in the Delhi Government said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal “may consider some of the recommendations of the panel”.
The report by the nine-member committee, chaired by Supreme Court advocate MR Shamshad and comprising Haseena Hashia, Tehmina Arora, Gurminder Singh Matharu, Saleem Baig, Aditi Dutta, Tanvir Kazi, Abu Bakr Sabbaq and Devika Prasad, states that “even after the violence, bias continued against Muslims in the registration of FIRs and investigation of cases”.
Along with the allegations of “inaction” by the police during and after riots, the report also points a finger at senior BJP leaders Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath for “inciting” people through speeches during the Delhi Assembly elections. “…there were a number of speeches by Delhi BJP leaders inciting people against anti-CAA protesters,” it states.
Under subhead “Initiation of the violence”, the committee specifically names BJP leader Kapil Mishra. “Violence started in different pockets almost immediately after Mishra’s speech on February 23, in which he called for forcefully removing anti-CAA protesters at Jafrabad in northeast Delhi,” it said.
“He (Mishra) clearly said his supporters and him would take matters in their own hands, alluding to extra-legal vigilante tactics,” the report said, also stating that Ved Prakash Surya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, north-east stood next to Mishra during the speech. “Multiple testimonies collected by the committee recount reports of police inaction even as the violence unfolded and how the police did not respond to people despite repeated calls,” the panel report states. Testimonies of affected people revealed that violence was not spontaneous, but was “planned, organised and targeted”.
How events unfolded
February 22 a group, largely comprising women, were staging a peaceful protest against the CAA under the Jaffrabad Metro station.
February 23 a rally was taken out in nearby Maujpur, where Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra demanded that anti-CAA protesters in Chand Bagh and Jaffrabad be removed within three days. Soon after, stone pelting began in the area, and, by the evening, groups opposing and supporting the CAA were squaring off. There was heavy police deployment.
February 24 violence erupted in Maujpur, with large-scale stone throwing, and members of two communities blaming each other for the wave of unrest.
February 25 the situation spiralled out of control. The violence had spread to an even wider area on either side of the Jaffrabad main road.