Delhi Violence: Over 250 Citizens Urge Kejriwal to Order Independent Probe Under Retd Judge
New Delhi: Over 250 citizens, including former bureaucrats, defence veterans, academics, mediapersons and politicians have written to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking an independent probe headed by a retired judge into the communal violence early this year, which killed 53 persons, mainly from the Muslim community.
“The totally one sided and politically motivated reports of the Delhi police regarding the communal violence is in sharp contrast to the report and recommendations of the Delhi Minority Commission. This makes the setting up of such a probe all the more urgent,” said the letter, signed by Air Vice Marshal (Retd) N.I. Razzaqui, former foreign secretary Muchkund Dubey, former National Minorities Commission chief Wajahat Habibullah, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, social activist Harsh Mander, senior journalists H K Dua and Mrinal Pande, former Plan panel member Sayeda Hameed, among the 270 signatories.
The signatories said an independent probe was necessary to instil confidence among the people of Delhi as various reports suggest that the ongoing probe by the Delhi Police, the Crime Branch and the special Police, all under the Union Home Ministry, is “unfair, unjust, one sided and manufactured.”
Citing the Delhi Minority Commission’s detailed report released recently, which “has described a version of events which is in total contrast and variance with the claims made by the Delhi police,” the signatories said an “independent inquiry will also help defend and strengthen the democratic
rights enshrined in our Constitution.”
The letter comes amid a growing tussle between the AAP government and the Lt Governor over the panel of lawyers looking into cases related to the communal violence.
On Tuesday, the AAP government rejected the Delhi Police's proposed panel of lawyers for arguing on its, saying it will prevent an impartial trial.
The Delhi government has directed its home department to form a panel of the best lawyers in the country for the trial of cases related to the riots in the High Court and the Supreme Court.
The decision was taken at a Delhi Cabinet meeting headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Read the full letter below:
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