'52 Indians Died In Delhi Violence', Says Amit Shah In Parliament As He Slams Sonia Gandhi For "Hate Speech"

Noting that neither did he go to Taj Mahal along with US President Donald Trump or attend the dinner hosted in his honour by President Ram Nath Kovind, he said that instead, he was strategising with officials of the Delhi Police.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaking in Lok Sabha on Delhi violence.

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed sorrow over the Delhi riots on Wednesday, while defending the Delhi Police's role in containing the violence. Shah said 52 Indians died in the riots and did not want to identify them as Hindus or Muslims. "52 Indians died in Delhi violence, 526 were injured. Shops of 371 were set ablaze & houses of 142 were burned," said Shah in his reply to the debate on the Delhi violence in the Lok Sabha. Hitting out at the opposition he said: "I would like to place on record that after February 25, no incident of rioting took place. There have been attempts to politicise these riots." Shah made an oblique reference to Congress' interim chief Sonia Gandhi comments before the violence took place, saying "those were hate speeches and that instigated riots". Congress and IUML MPs staged walkout from Lok Sabha during Shah's speech. Shah defended the Delhi Police whose role has come under sharp criticism for allegedly not doing enough. "Questions have been asked about what the Delhi Police was doing. Police were on the ground then, police will also probe and submit a report in coming days. I would like to praise the Delhi Police for not allowing the riots to spread to other areas," he said. He claimed that the Delhi Police contained the rioting within 36 hours. Noting that neither did he go to Taj Mahal along with US President Donald Trump or attend the dinner hosted in his honour by President Ram Nath Kovind, he said that instead, he was strategising with officials of the Delhi Police. Shah also said that it was at his insistence that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval went to the riot-torn areas. On being asked why did he not visit himself, he said the priority was to control the situation. Shah told the house that the narrow lanes in the riot-torn areas of northeast Delhi made it difficult for the Delhi Fire Service to reach the spot instantly. He also mentioned the presence of "anti-social elements" as a reason for the riots being prolonged. (With additional information from IANS)