Sonia Gandhi demands Amit Shah’s resignation
TNN Bureau. Updated: 2/27/2020 12:19:56 PM
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New Delhi: Holding the Central and the Delhi governments responsible for the communal violence in the city that has left at least 24 dead, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday demanded Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation as she addressed a rare press conference.
She spoke to the media after chairing a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, and alleged there was a "well-planned" conspiracy behind the violence, that has also led to injuries to more than 200 people over the past three days.
The CWC, the highest decision-making body of the Congress, deliberated on the issue and passed a resolution, demanding answers from both the governments, while also urging the people of Delhi to "reject the politics of hate and do their best in healing the rifts caused by these shameful events".
"After reviewing the situation, the CWC is of the firm opinion that what has happened in Delhi is a colossal failure of duty for which the entire responsibility must be borne by the Central Government and particularly the Home Minister and (the CWC) calls upon the Home Minister to tender his resignation immediately," said Gandhi, reading out the CWC resolution.
She went on to attack the AAP dispensation, saying Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his government are "equally responsible for not activating the administration" to reach out to the people to maintain peace and harmony.
"It is the collective failure of the two governments that has resulted in a great tragedy in the capital city which threatens to become worse by the day," she said.
The Congress had planned to march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan after the CWC meet to hand over a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind over the issue, but they postponed it as the President gave them time for a meeting on Thursday.
But, the Delhi Congress took out a peace march from the party headquarters later in the day with many leaders including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in attendance.
The Congress president also hit out at BJP leader Kapil Mishra for making a statement that allegedly incited the violence in the city.