A Single Bench of Justice Navin Chawla has issued notice to the Delhi Government in a plea seeking interim and full compensation for the victims of the communal clashes that broke out in North East Delhi in February, 2020.
The court has also directed the Government to file a counter affidavit in the next four weeks, LiveLaw reported. The petition has been filed by Mohd. Shahabaj, his wife Angoori Khatoon, and their son Md. Abu Talha. Advocate Kawalpreet Kaur is representing them.
Collapse of Rule of Law
The petition claimed that the complete collapse of the rule of law reflected the inefficiency of Delhi Police and the government. It contended that “Delhi Police failed to take control of the heinous mobs and at some places, actively supported the members of the mob”, as per The Hindu.
Their plea said that on February 25, a mob of around hundred people attacked their rented house and set it on fire. Their jewellery and other items of livelihood and documents including rent agreement, Aadhaar cards, and certificates of children were either stolen or burnt down with the house.
It is further submitted by the petitioners that the breaking out of the riots and then the continuous denial of the compensation shows the hostile attitude of the system towards the victims of communal violence and massacres.
“Not only the system failed to protect their lives and properties during the communal violence but also after that, the respondent authorities kept on dragging their feet and perpetuated the helplessness and distress among the victims”, the plea states.
Expressing the petitioner’s ordeal, the plea states, “Mobs comprising hundreds of people were actively looking for Muslim houses, properties and means of livelihood to loot, burn and destroy.” The petitioners’ house also fell victim to this lawlessness, chaos and utter destruction by the mob.
Compensation
Seeking financial assistance, the petition states, “The petitioners, fearing that they would also meet the same fate and be set on fire by the ruthless mob outside their house, deserted their house and ran away. They left everything behind in their house and could not muster the courage to even collect their important documents. All their energy went in-to save and rescue themselves from the hands of the bloodthirsty mob, which was repeatedly calling for the blood of Muslims”.
The plea states that the amount specified by the Delhi Government in its compensation scheme is inadequate to provide relief and that the family lost everything in the violence. They’ve argued that, “Delhi Government’s Assistance scheme for the victims of communal violence is arbitrary and discriminatory. The amount of compensation is too little and inadequate when assessed on the basis of the financial losses and trauma suffered by the victims of the communal violence.”
The petition has sought directions from the High Court to the authorities to immediately release interim amounts of Rs. 10 lakhs as compensation to the family members and Rs. 50 lakhs as total compensation.
The matter will be next heard on February 15, 2021.
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