In a latest development related to the violence and riots that had broken out in Delhi earlier this year, around 270 well-known activists, academics and eminent personalities have come together and have jointly written to CM Arvind Kejriwal asking for an “independent probe and investigation” by a retired judge.
The violence into which the group has sought an independent inquiry had jolted northeastern Delhi in the month of February this year. The group of eminent individuals noted that an independent inquiry had become all the more necessary because the recommendations of the Delhi Minority Commission and the investigation by the Delhi Police had brought forward completely contradictory revelations.
They also alleged that the investigation conducted by Delhi Police was “manufactured.” Out of the 270 eminent personalities who have gone ahead and signed the letter are former foreign secretary Muchkund Dubey, former Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities Wajahat Habibullah, CPI leaders like Brinda Karat, professors Prabhat Patnaik and Jayati Ghoosh and human rights activist Harsh Mander and Swami Agnivesh.
The letter written to CM Arvind Kejriwal read, “We are writing to express our grave disquiet and concern about the unfair, unjust, one-sided and manufactured ‘investigation’ by the Delhi Police, the crime branch and the special police into the communal violence in northeast Delhi. We write to request you to order an independent investigation under a retired judge of suitable stature with a time-bound mandate. The terms of reference should included various aspects of the violence.”
The news of the letter being written to CM Arvind Kejriwal has come just a day after the AAP rejected the panel of advocates who had been recommended by the Delhi Police to argue on the Delhi riots case in the Supreme Court and high court and said that such a process will not help towards a free and fair trial in the riots case that shook Delhi in February.
The signatories to the letter appealed for an independent inquiry into the case and said that the Police had been engaged in furthering the political agenda of the ruling party. The signatories urged the government to allow an independent inquiry and help restore people’s faith in justice. Communal riots sparked off in Delhi on February 24 after brutal clashes took place between pro-CAA and anti-CAA protestors in northeastern Delhi. About 53 people lost their lives and more than 200 others were killed in the riots.
