TMC, Congress MPs stage protest in Parliament premises over Delhi violence

Trinamool Congress and Congress MPs staged a protest in Parliament premises on Monday against centre's handling of Delhi violence. The MPs were seen with a black blindfold with fingers on their lips to protest against the government and demanded that the issue of should be discussed on the floor of the House.

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress MPs on Monday staged separate demonstrations near the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Parliament over the recent North-East Delhi violence.

While on one hand TMC MPs were seen with a black blindfold with fingers on their lips to protest against the government, Congress MPs on another hand carried banners and placards with slogans like "Shah Must Resign", "Save Our India", "Pradhan Mantri Jawab Do".

TMC MP Mahua Moitra, who was also a part of the protest, said: "Our protest was symbolic. By wearing this (black cloth) around our eyes, we wanted to say that this government is really blind as to what is happening. The police were blind. It stood and watched. We put fingers on our lips to show that this government is silent and does not speak when it matters."

"Prime Minister always doing Mann Ki Baat and Home Minister talks about everything that is none of his business. But for something like this where people lost their lives in Delhi they have not come out. They have really failed this country. They failed us nationally and internationally. It is a matter of shame," she told reporters here.

Talking to mediapersons, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that the party is demanding a discussion on the Delhi violence and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation.

"Our first demand is that discussions must be held on the Delhi violence. Secondly, we want someone to take responsibility for it, therefore we are demanding the Home Minister's resignation and we also want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond over it," Tharoor said.

At least 46 people have died in the violence that raged in North-East Delhi recently.

The Delhi Police has registered 254 FIRs including 41 cases under the Arms Act. As many as 903 people have been either arrested or detained by police.

(ANI report)