Police did exceedingly well to contain Delhi violence within 36 hours: Amit Shah

In his reply in the Lok Sabha on Delhi riots, Home Minister Amit Shah praised the Delhi police for containing the violence within 36 hours. There was no violence after February 25, said Shah in the lower house as he defended the government and the Delhi Police.

Justifying his decision to debate the issue of Delhi riots post-Holi, Shah said that he deliberately chose to delay the discussion as he wanted to maintain communal harmony during the festival and did want the situation to aggravate.

Assuring the house, Shah said, "We are investigating the Delhi violence on the basis of scientific evidence. We have held peace-talks with different communities. Such riots can be spread on communal basis so quickly, only when there is a pre-planned conspiracy behind it, so we have filed a conspiracy-FIR. All those who caused the violence will not be able to escape the law."


Countering the allegations made by the opposition, Home Minister said Delhi police did their best to contain the violence and restore normalcy. The allegations of police inaction is baseless and untrue, reiterated Shah.

Adding further, Shah said the police had immense difficulty in getting into few riot-hit areas due their location.

The opposition laid several charges on the government- police inaction, apathy of the government,

Leader of opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attacked Home Minister Amit Shah on Delhi violence, that started on February 23 and took 53 lives. "The fact is that humanity was defeated," he said, and asked for an explanation from Shah on why the violence continued for three days in the national capital.

More than 50 people died in the violence that began over the new Citizenship Act which makes it easier for non-Muslims from a few neighbouring Muslim-dominated countries to gain Indian citizenship.