'Cannot do anything since law and order not under AAP'

Key Highlights Atishi's office also responded by saying that law and order did not fall under the Delhi government Bharti and Chadha failed to answer their phones Ram Niwas Goel's office claimed that Qureshi Tower was not within his constituency and that he did not wish to talk about it

New Delhi: A small group of lawyers who provide legal remedies to detained protesters have claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs failed to intervene and answer calls despite several attempts were made to contact them when communal violence erupted in North East Delhi.

In a statement, the group has alleged that after getting innumerable SOS calls from the violence-affected areas they try to get in touch with the AAP MLAs including Atishi, Ram Niwas Goel, Somnath Bharti, Raghav Chadha who completely shrug off the responsibility to intervene.

While Bharti and Chadha failed to answer their phones, Ram Niwas Goel's office claimed that Qureshi Tower was not within his constituency and that he did not wish to talk about it. The general answer heard by the lawyers was that the MLAs cannot do anything since 'law and order' was not under AAP.

'Cannot do anything since law and order not under AAP'

Atishi's office also responded by saying that law and order did not fall under the Delhi government and repeated attempts to contact were ignored.

The lawyers contacted the MLAs after receiving ground reports that Qureshi Tower, which stands on the main road next to the Maujpur Metro station and houses a number of commercial establishments was set on fire.

They alleged that that as the locals were unable to contact the fire department owing to network issues in the area, they reached out via messages to them to alert the fire department.

Emergency number 101 was unresponsive

Emergency number 101 was unresponsive, the lawyers claimed adding that they reached out to the Delhi Fire Service Control Room via contact details available online but were shocked to know that fire tender was present at the spot and was waiting outside but could not enter as cops had refused to provide protection to the fire department.

“We are appalled at the complete avoidance of the issue by the newly elected Delhi Government and strongly condemn the inaction on their part,” the statement read.

'Will not be allowed to quietly shirk their duty towards citizens of Delhi'

Slamming the AAP, the group said that law and order may come under the central government, but the AAP government should remember that common citizens of Delhi voted them to power with a resounding majority not two weeks ago.

They cannot and will not be allowed to quietly shirk their duty towards citizens of Delhi, the letter read.

19 people have been killed in communal clashes which broke out in Chand Bagh, Bhajanpura, Maujpur-Babarpur, Kardam Puri and Jafrabad areas in North East Delhi.