Sonia's attack on govt over violence 'dirty politics', demand for Shah's resignation laughable: BJP

The BJP on Wednesday accused Congress president Sonia Gandhi of playing "dirty politics" by targeting the Modi government over violence in Delhi and rejected the demand for Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation as "laughable", saying he has been working continuously with police to bring peace in the capital.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar said Gandhi is politicising the violence, which has so far killed 22 persons, at a time when violent incidents are abating and investigation is on to find out culprits.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, he said those whose hands are "tainted with the bloods of innocent Sikhs" are now talking about checking violence, a reference to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The BJP's attack came after Gandhi at a press conference held the Centre and the Delhi government responsible for the violence and demanded Shah's resignation.

Slamming Gandhi, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said her statement was full of politics and dubbed it unfortunate and irresponsible.

"The need of the hour is for everybody to talk about restoring peace. The home minister had called a meeting of all parties. Enquiry will find out the culprits," he said.

Javadekar said all parties should cooperate and work for peace at a time when violence is abating.

"Playing a blame-game at this time is wrong. Politicising such violence is wrong way," he said, while asserting that culprits will be identified and no one responsible for the violence will be spared.

"At such a time, attacking the government and politicising violence is a dirty politics," he said, adding that it also demoralises police.

He also raked up the 1984 anti-Sikh riots when the Congress was in power to hit back at the opposition party.

"Those whose hands are tainted with the bloods of innocent sikhs in 1984 are now talking about checking the violence...they themselves had supported the violence," Javadekar alleged.

He said Shah is continuously working with the police to control the situation in the national capital and demanding his resignation was "laughable".

"The Home Minister is continuously working with the police, helping their morale and directing them. Such comments and politics from the Congress will not help the morale of the police. We appeal to them to not do politics on the issue," Javadekar told a press conference.

"Playing a blame-game at this time is wrong. Politicising such violence is a wrong way always used by the Congress," he said, while asserting that culprits will be identified and no one responsible will be spared.

"At such a time, attacking the government and politicising violence is a dirty politics," he said, adding that it also demoralises police.

BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member G V L Narasimha Rao said, "Home Minister has given orders for strictest action against rioters. Sonia Gandhi, what about your late husband Rajiv Gandhi who allowed Congress goons to kill 3,000 Sikhs in Delhi & later justified violence, promoted rioters. Would you consider returning Bharat Ratna awarded to him?"