Owaisi terms Delhi violence 'genocide', questions silence of PM Modi, NDA leaders

Terming the violence in North-East Delhi as "genocide", All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak up on the matter and visit the affected people. He also questioned the silence of other NDA leaders on the incidents that shook the national capital.

"I want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi that why hasn't he spoken a word on Delhi violence that took place a few kilometres away from his official residence. More than 40 people lost their lives in the violence. Prime Minister Modi should speak up on this matter and visit the violence affected Shiv Vihar once as people who died in the violence are all Indians," Owaisi said in a speech at a public meeting here.

"I want to tell the Prime Minister that this violence has happened because of the statements made by leaders of his party. This is a genocide. I thought that the Prime Minister got his lesson in 2002 in Gujarat but a genocide occurred in 2020 too in Delhi," he added.

He also questioned the silence of other political leaders from the NDA on the Delhi violence.

"I want to ask Nitish Kumar, Ram Vilas Paswan and Akali Dal that why are they quiet on Delhi violence. Ram Vilas Paswan had resigned from the Union ministry after the Gujarat riots in 2002. Whether the Akali Dal has forgotten 1984?" Owaisi said.

Forty-two people were killed and over 200 were injured in North-East Delhi violence.