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New Delhi : Speaking on the recent law and order situation in some parts of Delhi while replying to a discussion under Rule 193 in Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 11, 2020, expressed grief over the violence and paid homage to those who lost their lives in the riots. He took the occasion to assure the nation and the people of Delhi that the Narendra Modi government will not spare any individual involved in the riots and that no innocent will be harassed.
Noting the quick and efficient response of Delhi Police, Shah said that it was to the credit of the force that not a single incident of rioting took place after 11 pm on February 25, 2020, and the riots were contained within 36 hours with the first incident being reported at 2 pm on February 24. He remarked that Delhi Police had done a commendable job to limit the riots to 4% area and 13% population of Delhi, and while not undermining the violence that took place, wrapping up the riots in 36 hours shows the efficacy of the action taken by Delhi Police, he added.
Commenting on the quick spread of the riots, Shah remarked that the riots spread fast because of the high population density of the affected areas, which has a mixed population. He said the narrow lanes prevented effective timely intervention by police vehicles and rescue by ambulances. He said that on February 23 & 24 , 2020, 30 to 40 companies of Delhi Police and CAPFs were deployed in affected areas and added that more than 80 paramilitary companies are deployed even today in the affected areas with specialsed strike forces.
Shah gave an account of the action taken by Delhi Police after the riots and said that more than 700 FIRs have been registered so far and a total of 2,647 people have been detained or arrested. He said that more than 25 computers are analysing CCTV footage to identify perpetrators and that Delhi Police has appealed to the public for any footage they may have, and many common people have come forward with the footage they shot on their phones. He noted that on the basis of the scientific analysis, more than 1,100 people have been identified, and 40 teams have been formed to arrest those rioters who have been identified.
Shah added that several people crossed over from Uttar Pradesh specifically to incite riots, which shows that this was a well-planned conspiracy. He said that one of the first actions on part of the police was the sealing of the UP-Delhi border at 10 pm on February24, 2020.
He said that two SITs have been formed under senior police officers to investigate the riots and a case of conspiracy has been registered. He said that the investigation has recovered 152 arms used in the riots and about 49 cases under Arms Act were registered. He noted that agencies are investigating Hawala transactions that took place after January and three people who financed the riots have been arrested by Delhi Police, and two people affiliated with ISIS have also been nabbed for stoking communal violence.
Shah said that the Ministry had communicated to the Delhi High Court regarding the establishment of a Claims Commission for relief and rehabilitation of victims and informed the House that recoveries would be made from those responsible for the destruction of properties. He also noted that more than 60 social media accounts had been created specifically to incite communal violence between February 22 & 26, 2020, and that 25 cases had been registered under the IT Act for the same.
He urged the House not to refer to the victims on the basis of their religion and emphasised that every victim was an Indian. He added that 52 people had been killed and 526 injured in the riots while 371 shops and 142 houses had been destroyed. Refuting the allegation that the police was siding with rioters, Shah said that on some occasions, police had to resort to throwing stones to deter the rioters while maintaining restraint. He said that more than 5,000 tear gas shells and 400 bullets had been fired by police to control the riots.
Referring to the background of the riots, Shah said that after a rally at Ramlila Ground on December 14, 2019, by the Opposition, Dharna at Shaheen Bagh started on December 16, 2020. He said a WhatsApp group United Against Hate was created on February 17, 2020, and inflammatory speech was given by some leaders on February 19, and all these led to protests by 8-9 groups in the area and culminated into riots. Shah also added that that vested interests have incited and misled minorities and indulged in fear mongering that the CAA would take away their citizenship, which is not true, according to a PIB release.