Delhi Protests: Sonia Gandhi demands resignation of Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Blaming the ruling BJP and the central government for communal violence in the capital, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday demanded that home minister Amit Shah resign from his post for his “colossal failure”. She accused the Centre and the state government of AAP of “deliberate inaction”.Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, accompanied by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia asked Amit Shah to answer what was he doing for last three days since trouble broke out in the city. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later led a Congress march to demand Shah’s resignation but was stopped midway by the police.Saying the “tragic events since Sunday have a history, design and pattern …. a well-planned conspiracy”, she said Delhi assembly elections gave away the plan as “BJP leaders made inflammatory statements clearly intended to create an atmosphere of fear and hate.” She particularly referred to the recent statement of Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra , albeit without naming him, “who gave an ultimatum of three days to Delhi police and warned that ‘after three days, don’t tell us anything’.”Priyanka Gandhi told reporters, “What BJP leader Kapil Mishra has said is shameful and the government not doing anything is even more shameful.”Asked if Congress feared that violence could spread to other areas like in Gujarat, Sonia said, “It is true that we fear that it may spread to other parts. That is why we have spelt out what needs to be done to quell the violence here.” She termed as “shocking” the silence of the leadership in central and state governments.The strong statements came after a hurriedly convened Congress Working Committee met on Wednesday morning to express concern over the violence in northeast Delhi and passed a resolution putting the Centre and the state government led by Arvind Kejriwal in the dock. It slammed the Delhi government for not activating the administration to reach out to people to appeal for peace.“After reviewing the situation, the CWC is of the firm opinion that what has happened in Delhi is a colossal failure of duty for which the entire responsibility must be borne by the central government and particularly the home minister and calls upon the home minister to tender his resignation immediately,” the resolution said.At the CWC meeting, Sonia is learnt to have noted that violence happened a few kilometres away from the home minister’s residence and during the US President’s visit. In what was a reference to the anti-CAA demonstrations, she said the right to protest was a citizen’s right and people were being targeted for holding views different from the ruling party.“Where was the home minister and what was he doing since last Sunday? Where was the chief minister and what was he doing since last Sunday?” the CWC resolution asked.During the discussions, a suggestion that the Centre should be questioned about not deploying the Army was shot down by senior leaders like P Chidambaram and Anand Sharma. It was felt that the demand would give the BJP regime a license to send Army anywhere in future. “Let us not set this precedent,” it was argued, according to a leader present in the CWC meeting.Priyanka told the meeting that the party should be seen on the ground. She said Congress workers should go beyond social media and visit people, visit hospitals if they cannot visit localities.Congress will meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday and submit a memorandum on Delhi riots. While the party wanted to go to the Rashtrapati Bhavan after the CWC, it was informed that the President was busy with the visit of the Myanmar President.The CWC called for deployment of adequate security forces, formation of “mohalla peace committees” and posting of senior bureaucrats in the districts. “The CM must be visible in the affected areas and in constant communication with the people,” it said.