Nearly 2,000 outsiders were brought and lodged in Delhi under a planned conspiracy to unleash violence, Delhi Commission for Minorities chairman, Dr Zafarul Islam Khan has said, following a visit to the rampaged areas. The Commission’s assessment report has concluded that the violence which erupted was “one-sided, well-planned” and involved support from locals with maximum damage being done to shops and houses belonging to Muslims, The Hindu reported.
“The schools were used for the execution of Delhi riots. The police should be held accountable for this. How did the outsiders/goons reach this place? And not just that; a mob of 2,000 was allowed to stay for more than 24 hours and execute its plans,” said Dr Zafarul Islam.
The report suggested that the rioters used to go out in small trucks in shifts of 2-3 hours each time to execute looting and arson. Food was brought to them inside. It was clear that they had local people helping them.
“It is our assessment that the violence in North-East Delhi was one-sided and well-planned in which maximum damage was inflicted on Muslim houses and shops with local support.”
Cautioning that without massive help, people will not be able to rebuild their lives, the Commission also said that compensation announced by the Delhi government was inadequate, considering the extent of damage caused due to the violence.
“We found extensive damage to Muslim houses, shops and workshops everywhere we went. We found that people were visiting their damaged houses for the first time since they fled on February 24-25 but since the houses and shops were badly damaged and debris lying, there was no question that they will be able to start living there any time soon,” the report said.
The report pointed out that in Bhajanpura area, “Muslim-owned shops like a travel agency and motorcycle showroom were looted and torched while Hindu-owned shops were left untouched.”
‘Police allowed properties and people to be burned’
Accusing the police of inaction, the panel said, “it was only after two days that the police became active. The violence lessened on February 26 and ended the following day. The police will have to answer for its acts – there are no two ways about this.”
“They (Delhi Police) have not saved anything, they allowed properties and people to be burned, allowed the rioters to damage houses and even to blast them. This is what happened.”
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