Violence in Delhi is state-sponsored, says Owaisi

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said that the communal violence in Delhi that has been raging in the national capital for the last two days was "state-sponsored".

"The BJP spokesperson gave an ultimatum, then it must be by the directions from the party. Why no caution was exercised? There was a mob that did it; it was not a communal riot. It is clear that the government did it," said Owaisi here.

He further accused the police of not helping the injured and said, "The policemen, instead of helping the injured, were asking them to sing the national anthem and even asked them if they want Azadi. Police are also provoking these riots."

"Why is the government not condemning it? This is a complete failure of the central government. I firmly believe that ex-MLA (Kapil Mishra) has the approval of his party and that is why he said such a thing. They have not learnt anything from the 2002 riots in Gujarat. Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of the state then and Amit Shah was a state minister," he added.

Ten people, including a Delhi Police head constable, lost their lives and more than 150 people have been injured in the communal violence that erupted in North-East Delhi on Monday.