A fact-finding committee constituted by the Delhi Minorities Commission on Thursday released its report on the February violence in the c...
A fact-finding committee constituted by the Delhi Minorities Commission on Thursday released its report on the February violence in the city, which left at least 53 people dead and hundreds injured. The committee, headed by advocate MR Shamshad, said that there was “repeated incitement to violence” throughout the Delhi Assembly election campaign from December to February by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.
The findings of the 10-member committee said the violence in North East Delhi was “planned, organised and targeted”. It said the violence that occurred between February 23 and 26 started in different pockets in the area almost immediately after a speech by BJP leader Kapil Mishra at Maujpur in the presence of Deputy Commissioner of Police Ved Prakash Surya.
Mishra had given a three-day ultimatum to the Delhi Police to clear out protestors against the Citizenship Act, saying he would take the law in his hands otherwise.
“Following the speech, different groups/mobs quickly fanned out to the local areas, openly carrying various weapons and arms like petrol bottles/bombs, iron rods, gas cylinders, stones and even firearms,” the report said. “Despite the open display of weapons and firearms, sufficient actions were not taken by the district administration or police to protect life and property.”
It stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah,...