New Delhi: General secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Sitaram Yechury on Sunday slammed Delhi Police and Home minister Amit Shah after his name appeared in the supplementary charge sheet in connection with North-East Delhi riots. Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav, economist Jayati Ghosh, Delhi University professor and activist Apoorvanand and filmmaker Rahul Roy have also been named in the charge sheet as co-conspirators.
Terming it as a conspiracy, the CPI(M) leader said, "There is no communication of how this charge sheet came into the public domain. I have no idea whether the Police released it or someone else. Instead of investigating violence, police are investigating the anti-CAA peaceful protests and linking them up with the Delhi riots. This is a conspiracy in the way it has been done” said Yechuri in answering a question during a virtual media conference today.
Accusing the Delhi police of acting under BJP's top political leadership, Yechury tweeted," No condemnation is strong enough for the brazenness with which Delhi Police, acting under BJP’s top political leadership has tried to implicate prominent political leadership, academics, cultural persons & activists in connection with the horrific communal violence in NE Delhi. "We strongly protest this criminalising of peaceful protests in defence of India’s Constitution," he added.
“56 people have died in communal violence in Delhi. Hate speeches were given by BJP leaders, Minister of State for Finance but no charge sheet has been filed. What is Delhi Police investigating? Is it looking for how to frame the people and allow the actual culprits of this violence go free and book all those who participated in peaceful protests against the CAA?”, Yechury asked.
READ: Chidambaram defends Yechury over Delhi riots link
“Yes, I participated in the anti-CAA protests. That is my constitutional right and my duty to defend the Indian Constitution no matter even if the Government violates it I should rise in defence of Indian constitution," he said, adding that the BJP govt cannot suppress our voices.
"If BJP thinks that they are going cow down people and political activists by doing such cowardly actions, then this would not happen," reiterating that attack on the Indian Constitution will not be compromised.
Maintaining his stand to continue his fight, Sitaram Yechury said, "The ruling party cannot undermine our efforts or frame innocent people particularly minority community and charge them for the offence that they did not commit."
"We had fought then and we will continue our fight. The police are working directly under the instructions of Home ministry but this sort of conspiracy is not going to work” Yechuri concluded.
The CPIM Polit Bureau earlier on Sunday had released a detailed statement protesting against the actions and alleged that police was criminalising peaceful protests in defence of Indian constitution. The opposition parties have also condemned naming of Yechuri and other activists in the communal violence.
READ: 'Criminalising peaceful protests': CPI(M) on supplementary Delhi riots chargesheet
