Congress visits riot-hit areas

Congress on Friday kept up the pressure on the government over the Delhi riots by forming a team of senior party leaders who will visit the affected areas even as other Opposition parties, including DMK, NCP and AAP, wrote to President Ramnath Kovind seeking registration of FIRs against political leaders who provoked the violence.

The five-member team formed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi comprises of AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik, AICC in-charge Delhi Shaktisinh Gohil,

Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja, former MP Tariq Anwar and Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev.

Mrs Gandhi has directed the team to visit the riot-affected areas in northeast Delhi and submit a “detailed report immediately”.The Congress team met at AICC headquarters here on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, other Opposition parties, including the CPI(M), CPI, DMK and RJD, which had sought time to meet the President, have been told that they can be given an appointment only after March 2.

Following this, the parties wrote a letter to Kovind on Friday seeking immediate arrest and filing of FIRs against the provocateurs.

Since we are informed that you would not be able to meet us between February 28 and March 2, we are addressing this letter,” the parties said in a letter to President.

They demanded an immediate establishment of peace and a direction to concerned authorities like Lt Governor of Delhi, who is directly answerable to the President, to ensure the speedy restoration of normalcy. They also sought filing of FIRs against all those who have made provocative hate speeches.

The opposition leaders sought direction on setting up of relief camps for those rendered homeless during the violence, providing adequate security and ensuring the supply of essential commodities for their wellbeing. “Since these riots have caused the unimaginable mental anguish to people, especially children, counselling centres must be opened in the affected areas,” it stated.