Ubaidullah Nasir
Amnesty International report on Delhi riots has shown the mirror to the world about working of Delhi Police. The Delhi police may or may not feel shame but the nation is ashamed at what the Amnesty International has said in its report on Delhi riots. What the Amnesty international has said and how it has exposed and documented the blatantly partial, communal and most unprofessional behavior of Delhi police during riots was known to all and was earlier exposed and documented by Delhi Minority Commission. Not only these two reports but even judicial magistrate has raised objections at one sided blatantly partial investigation and arrest of Muslims only but it has not deterred the Delhi police from its partiality and un professionalism. It has yet not taken any action against the hate mongers and masterminds of the riot particularly three BJP leaders union minister Anurag Thakur,Kapil Mishra and Paresh Verma (MP).Even the supreme court has rejected a plea to initiate action against Anurag Thakur saying prior permission of government is necessary to prosecute him. His infamous sloganeering “Goli Maro salon ko’ is said to be the motivator behind the riots but unfortunately not only Delhi police but even SC is hiding behind formalities and rules giving “Abhaydan” to this hate monger.
This world’s largest human rights organization has asked for an independent inquiry into the allegations of human rights violation by Delhi police during communal riots in north east distt.It claims that it has documented several videos showing Delhi police personnels pelting stones with rioters, torturing people, dismantling protest sites and standing as a silent spectators as rioters wreaked havoc in the capital. In preparing its report the Amnesty International interviewed more than fifty riot survivors, activists retired police officers and found the conduct of many policemen a cause of concern.
It may be remembered that prior to Delhi assembly election several BJP leaders have delivered hate speeches with a purpose to polarize the society even Home Minister Amit Shah did’nt mince words when he said that EVM button should be pressed so hard that it current reaches to protestors of sahaheen Bagh. How could Anurag Thakur another union minister then remain behind he raised the slogan “Desh ke gaddaron ko goli maro salon ko “ Another BJP leader Kapil Mishra in presence of several police officer warned that if the road is not cleared from protestors he will not even listen the police and will ensure that road is cleared and the police officer shamelessly heard this warning and did not took any action .Amnesty International interviewed several survivors who claimed they witnessed the violence break out right after Kapil Mishara’s warning but the police has yet not booked him. A majority of riot victims and sufferers said that police did not responded to their calls for help and protection even as the violence engulfed the city for about a week. The riot survivors have also claimed that the Delhi Police intimidated and harassed many by unlawfully detaining them and forcing them to sign on blank papers. Lawyers representing the detainees have told the Amnesty International that the Delhi police blatantly violated the fair trial procedures by arresting people without producing arrest warrants and restricting their access to legal aid including during interrogation. It has also documented a “disturbing pattern” of torture and other ill treatment meted out to the riot survivors and detainees in police custody most of them Muslims.This ongoing state sponsored impunity that the Delhi police enjoys send the message that the police can commit grave human rights violations and evade accountability said Avinash Kumar executive director of Amnesty International India. Delhi police however claims that all the cases of Delhi riots have been investigated as per law and in professional manner.
Delhi police force was considered one of the best police force of the country. It comes directly under union home ministry so political interference in its working was minimum and it use to perform its duty in most professional manner but under Amit Shah it become another police force of Gujarat model. During the Delhi riots so disturbing videos of police brutality on Muslim youths were viral that sent shockwabe among the viewers Most of you may remember the video in which policemen are beating youths mercilessly and asking them to recite national anthem. One of the riot survivor has claimed to have heard from a police officer assuring one of BJP leader” Chinta na Karen inki laashen bichha dunga” . In this riot about fifty persons are killed and hundreds injured among deceased about ten are twelve are Hindus rest are Muslims but among arrested persons majority is of Muslims. A so called Muslims organization is said to be behind this riot. Surprisingly the Delhi police has seen hidden hands behind the riot but those openly instigating people threatening people of a particular community spreading hate and mistrust among communities are being given the clean chit.
The blatant partiality of Delhi police has earlier been seen in JNU and jamia Millia where the students from right wing openly attacking students of opposite side but the police arrest the injured students put them behind bars imposed cases under severe clauses including most easy “Deshdroh “ but the faces obvious in videos openly attacking students are yet to be identified and arrested by the police. In these two universities also police was openly siding with rioters and presented the chargesheet whose language and allegations clearly shows their partiality and political motives lacking any iota of professionalism and impartiality .
Police partiality during communal riots is not new. Veteran police officer Vibhuti Narain Rai has highlighted this partiality in his famous book “Shahar men Curfew” but surely it specially its officers were not so shameless communal and unprofessional as they now have become. They are Modi’s new India police officers.