There has been a deliberate subversion of justice as truth has been hijacked to serve political interests and to save BJP leaders, claimed Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M) member Brinda Karat during a party event on February 23, 2021, the first anniversary of the Northeast Delhi violence that led to tat least 54 deaths and homelessness of many people in the capital city.
According to The Hindu, the event was attended by former residents of the area, Mohammed Wakeel, now a resident of Shiv Vihar who was blinded during the riots, and Mallika, a resident of Bhagwati Nagar who lost her husband and fled with her three-year-old son during the chaos. Both of them alleged the Delhi police had ignored their calls during and after the violence on February 23, 2020.
To understand the role of the police as well as to learn how the capital was allowed to burn for five days under the eye of the Home Minister himself, Karat called for an independent, impartial probe into the Delhi Riots. She stressed a need for such a probe by pointing out that the Delhi police gave themselves a clean chit by saying no cognisable offence has been found in the manner in which they conducted themselves.
Moreover, alleging a gross inadequacy in the number of police personnel deployed, she said, “On February 23, 2020, there were 1,393 police and central forces deployed and 700 distress calls were received, most of which went unanswered. On February 24, 2020, 13 deaths were reported and the [Union] Home Ministry added only six more personnel, as the official figure for deployment on that day according to the Delhi police’s own submission to the court is 1,399.”
The party also released a report on the riots detailing the suffering of victims that also talked about how Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed on February 24. The number of police personnel was increased to 4,291 and 4,663 in the next two days when 29 and eight deaths, respectively, were reported.
She also condemned BJP member Kapil Mishra, accused of making inflammatory speeches ahead of the riot, for stating that “if required, he would do it again.” Karat said this showed how the ruling regime protects leaders who gave inflammatory speeches.
She decried the central government for quashing dissent which according to them equals anti-nationalism, “and anti-nationalism becomes patriotism if you wear a saffron scarf and carry a BJP flag.”
Other families previously living in the area also narrated their suffering to the Millennium Post: A 23-year-old boy named Faizan lost his brother and continues to await justice. Another survivor, restaurant-owner Mumtaz, talked about how he lost his business to fire that day and later on watched his supporters be intimated and his complaints be dismissed.
Malaika talked about her husband, who was dragged out of his home, burnt and thrown in the drain. “My child was in the other room, but they dragged my husband and killed him,” she said.
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