A delegation led by Dr. SQR Ilyas, National President of Welfare Party of India after visiting riot affected areas of Northeast Delhi like Mustafabad, Chandbagh, Karawal Nagar, Shiv Vihar, Babunagar, Barajpuri, Chandan Nagar, Gokulpuri, Brahampuri, Vijay Park and Moujpur, demanded high level inquiry and adequate compensation at a press conference in the national capital on March 5.
Dr Ilyas, while addressing the media persons, said, “We will not call it riots but genocide or a deliberate pogrom as it was done in a planned manner. It was a very brutal and merciless attack. The scale could be visualised from the loss of life, those rendered injured, burnt houses and properties. The local people there told the delegation that the Delhi police at some places either remained mute spectator or behaved like perpetrators of the crime. The role of Police Commissioner was very passive; he did not visit the affected areas.”
Asking as to who should be responsible for Delhi riots, Dr Ilyas said Delhi Police comes direct under the Union Home Ministry and the Union Home Minister should take the moral responsibility of the pogrom and should resign because he failed to maintain law and order. In reply to a question, he said, the first and foremost responsibility of both the Central and State governments is that they should come forward to build the confidence of the people, rehabilitate them and rebuild the society at the earliest.
The WPI President demanded: 1. Constitution of an S.I.T under a sitting High Court Judge to probe the pogrom in Delhi. 2. Resignation of Union Home Minister for having failed to maintain peace and harmony in the national capital. 3. Immediate arrest of BJP leaders who are believed to have instigated the pogrom. 4. Compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the next kin of the deceased and jobs to one family member and Rs 10 lakh to the injured, the properties damaged should be adequately compensated and the government should take the entire responsibility to rehabilitate the affected persons. 5. Religious places and schools destroyed should be restored with government funds. 6. The footage available through various mediums should be thoroughly investigated and the culprits should be brought to books. 7. The role of police should also be investigated and erring officers should be punished. 8. Both the Prime Minster and the Chief Minister should visit the affected areas to heal the wound and build the confidence of the people.
The delegation observed that the U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit was used to take advantage and carry out this pogrom as the media would be busy covering his visit and this pogrom will not be covered and the crime could be carried out. The delegation observed that the riots have badly spoiled the image of the country internationally.
Noor-e-Elahi, who lost his son, while narrating the entire incident how his son was shot by a mob and later died at a hospital, appealed to all to help two small children of his son who were present during the press conference. He informed the audience that so far he has received one lakh as compensation from an organisation from Kerala and also one lakh from the Delhi government.
Abdul Jabbar Siddiqui, National General Secretary, Razzack Paleri, National Secretary, Siraj Talib, National Secretary and Mohd Arif Akhlaque, State Secretary were also present during the press conference.