Rioters are coming from outside Delhi

53-Gopal-Rai Gopal Rai | Sanjay Ahlawat

THE SIGNS OF trouble were evident on Sunday (February 23) evening. Had the police wanted, it could have prevented the violence from snowballing. Urgent action was needed when such a large number of people descended on the epicentre of all the trouble in Jaffrabad area and the manner in which (BJP leader) Kapil Mishra arrived there with his supporters. Had the police been asked by the higher-ups at that time to act, the situation could have been brought under control.

The violence spread fast and the police failed to take adequate steps. We were in touch with the lieutenant governor and the police. It is another matter that the police commissioner did not attend my calls even once since the violence started.

We went to the lieutenant governor's house on Monday night, and we were assured that additional police force would be brought in, but that did not happen. Yesterday (Tuesday, February 25), some additional force was deployed, and curfew was imposed in some areas. However, the violence has not stopped. The rioters have only shifted their place of action.

The whole of last night (February 25), arson and firing have taken place. The police made a round of the area once, and after that, the residents were again without any protection from the rioters. The morale of the rioters continues to be high, and they are unstoppable. Violence is taking place in narrow lanes, where there is no police presence. Also, the rioters are coming from outside Delhi and creating trouble here.

Now, since the police has failed to bring the situation under control, the Army needs to be brought in immediately.

Gopal Rai is minister for employment, development and labour in Delhi and legislator from Babarpur constituency.

As told to Soni Mishra