Manmohan urges Prez Kovind to use his power, protect 'Raj dharma'

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was among the group of Congress leaders seeking the removal of Union Home Minister Amit Shah from his post, said on Thursday (February 27) that they had appealed to President Ram Nath Kovind to use his power and protect ‘Raj dharma’ (duty of the rulers).

Senior Congress leaders, including party president Sonia Gandhi, presented a memorandum on Thursday to Kovind seeking the removal of Shah from his post for “abdication of duty” during the riots in Delhi over the past four days.

The memorandum claimed that the Centre, which includes Shah, had remained “mute spectators” during the clashes instead of taking active measures to restore peace.

“Instead of taking active steps to remedy or diffuse the situation, the Central Government and also the newly elected Delhi Government, have remained mute spectators as completely mindless rage, designed violence and organised looting of the property has continued unabated,” the memorandum read.

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The memorandum also claimed that the scenario in Delhi was “so grim” that the Delhi High Court had to intervene and “remind” the Home ministry and the police of their duties in order to act against rioters and instigators of violence.

“This is a shameful indictment of the Central Government, the Home Ministry and the Home Minister himself,” it read.

Sonia Gandhi said they were satisfied after meeting Kovind since he had said he would “take cognisance” of their demands.

The memorandum further noted that though the violence had been taking place only over the span of four days, the seeds of this communal clash had been sown by “deliberate, inflammatory” remarks made by BJP leaders before and after the Delhi Assembly elections.

At least 34 people have died so far in the clashes and more than 200 people were injured.