Memorandum to the President of India by concerned Indians on discriminatory letter from government officials

The Hon’ble President of India

 

Dear Sir,

 

The reports of the Delhi Police officers being asked to remain alert to the feelings of the Hindus while investigating the communal violence that had hit the North East Delhi have shocked us. It has been reported by the media that caution has been advised while arresting the Hindu youth found involved in the violence.  The media report says

 

 The arrests of “some Hindu youth” from riot-hit areas in Northeast Delhi has led to a “degree of resentment among the Hindu community” and “due care and precaution” must be taken while making arrests, the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) has written in an order to senior officers heading probe teams and asked them to “suitably” guide the Investigating Officers.

 

The order has been issued by the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) who has written in an order to senior officers heading probe teams and asked them to “suitably” guide the Investigating Officers.(https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/hindu-resentment-north-east-delhi-riots-special-cp-6506063/)

 

The letter puts a question mark on the impartiality of the investigative agency. It clearly demonstrates its inclination to placate one community at the cost of the other. The blatant partisanship of the police as expressed in the letter only supports the doubts in the minds of the minority Muslims who have been claiming that even after them being the main targets and victims of the violence, the police has made disproportionate arrests from the community and has been targeting them under the garb of investigation. 

 

Along with the report of this letter, the news of the affidavit of the police in the court of literally exonerating the leaders of the BJP who had given provocative speeches against the Muslims and the Anti CAA protestors shows that the police is going out of its way to make the whole exercise of investigation one sided and directed against the Muslims.

 

We urge you, as the head of the state to take note of the seriousness of the situation and intervene. The role of the Delhi Police during the violence has been criticized by independent observers who found them to be clearly acting against Muslims, either looking the other way when they were being attacked or actively participating in the violence themselves. We fear that the probe would destroy the trust of the Muslim community in the agencies of the Indian state.

 

The larger implications of a professional force turning into an instrument of partisan political interests are far more serious for a democracy like India to function. If it becomes the norm, the police of Assam, Meghalaya, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, etc. for example would be acting on behalf of the dominant social group there.  

 

We request you therefore to kindly intervene to restore the faith of the people in the state agencies. 

 

 

Yours Sincerely

 

Shabnam Hashmi

(on behalf of many concerned Indians)