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Updated: Mar 09, 2020 12:07 IST

A five-member Congress team submitted its report on the Delhi violence to party chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday.

The team — comprising senior leaders Mukul Wasnik, Kumari Selja, Tariq Anwar, Shaktisinh Gohil and Sushmita Dev — had visited several riot-affected areas in the national capital in the past few days.

Gandhi had formed the team on February 28 and asked it to assess the situation in the riot-hit areas and submit its report.

Last week, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi led a party delegation to a riot-affected area in Delhi.

Gandhi, along with senior leaders KC Venugopal, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik, Kumari Selja, K Suresh and Gaurav Gogoi, visited a private school and a mosque and saw shops that were vandalised and burnt in the violence in Brijpuri area of northeast Delhi.

Arun Modern Public Senior Secondary School, which is over 32 years old, suffered massive damage and the Congress delegation went around the gutted classrooms and surveyed the burnt busses.

Another delegation of Congress leaders from Kerala and other states also visited different areas in northeast Delhi.

Gandhi later told reporters, “This school is the future of India and here hatred and violence has devastated it, burnt it down. No one has benefited from this act. Violence and hatred are the enemies of development and whatever is happening today, India is being divided, torched. ‘Bharat Mata’ does not benefit from such actions.”

He urged all to unite and work together to take the country forward.

“It is a time of pain. When violence occurs in the capital, it tarnishes the reputation of the country all over the world. Brotherhood, unity and love have been the strength of the country. That has been damaged. Such politics has not just damaged this school but has also hurt our country and Bharat Mata. Our reputation all over the world, which is essential for the future, has been torched here,” he added.

The Delhi Police later advised Gandhi not to go beyond the Brijpuri Nullah.

Reacting to Gandhi’s visit, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao accused him of playing divisive politics.

“Rather than maintaining utmost neutrality and exhorting peace from all sections, Rahul Gandhi chose to play divisive politics aimed at consolidating a vote-bank. By visiting a mosque, he conveyed a message that the Muslim community was the victim, thus tacitly conveying a message the Hindus were to be blamed for the violence. It is shameful that at a time when the North East Delhi was struck by violence, Rahul Gandhi is busy indulging in vote-bank politics. This is highly reprehensible and condemnable,” he said.

Rao alleged that Gandhi had no time to visit the residence or even express condolences to the families of head constable Ratan Lal and IB officer Ankit Sharma, who were killed in the riots. “This shows Congress’ utter disregard for the sacrifices and tribulations suffered by the police and security forces,” he added.

Congress MP from Kerala K Suresh said leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Left parties had visited the area and it was felt that they too should go there.