The Congress on Wednesday demanded the resignation of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah for ‘colossal failure of duty’ of the Delhi Police to curb the raging riots in the city. A meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) also urged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to be more proactive in the riot-hit areas.

Talking to reporters after the meeting of CWC, Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed shock at the silence of the top leadership at the Centre on the ongoing violence.

“Where was the Home Minister and what was he doing since last Sunday? Where was the Chief Minister of Delhi and what was he doing since last Sunday? What were the reports given by the intelligence agencies in the days immediately after the conclusion of the Delhi elections and leading upto today? What was the strength of the police force deployed on the night of Sunday when there were clear indications that violence will break out? Why were additional security forces not called immediately when it was clear that the situation was beyond the control of the Delhi police?” Sonia asked while talking to reporters after the CWC meeting.

“There is a well-planned conspiracy behind the continuous traumatic accidents that have been happening since last Sunday. The country saw this conspiracy during the Delhi elections as well,” she said.

The CWC expressed grave concern over the “unprecedented continuing violence” and charged ‘they have a history, design and pattern’. “Several leaders of the BJP made inflammatory statements clearly intended to create an atmosphere of fear and hate. The last of these statements was made on Sunday, when a BJP leader gave an ultimatum of three days to the Delhi police and warned that ‘after three days don’t tell us anything’,” the resolution said.

It said the deliberate inaction of the Centre and the State government in the last 72 hours has resulted in 20 lives being been lost so far, including a head constable, and hundreds are in hospital, many with gunshot injuries including a journalist. The CWC, after reviewing the situation, said what has happened in Delhi is a colossal failure of duty for which the entire responsibility must be borne by the Centre and particularly by the Home Minister. It called upon Shah to tender his resignation immediately.

“The Chief Minister and the Delhi government are equally responsible for not activating the administration to reach out to the people to maintain peace and harmony. It is the collective failure of the two governments that has resulted in a great tragedy in the capital city which threatens to become worse by the day,” the party said.

The party will meet President Ramnath Kovind on Thursday to lodge a complaint against the Centre. The leaders have also decided to take out a peace march on Wednesday.

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