Shia cleric Kalbe Jawad demands SC-monitored probe in Delhi violence

Shia cleric Kalbe Jawad on Friday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the recent northeast Delhi violence and claimed that "explosives" were used to destroy houses during the riots.

Jawad visited the violence-hit areas including Shiv Vihar on Thursday.

He also claimed that the violence, at the time when US President Donald Trump was in Delhi, was a ploy to show Prime Minister Narendra Modi in poor light.

"Modi ji ne Trump ko bulaya tha... Toh hum to samajhte hai ki ye unko neecha dikhane ke liye kiya gaya tha unhi ke chahnne walon ne (Modi had invited Trump, so I believe it (violence) was carried out by those near him to show him in poor light.

 

"Ye aam admi ka kaam nahi ho sakta ye bahut hi powerful logon ne anjam diya (it cannot be an act by ordinary people, it was carried out by very powerful people)," he claimed in a press conference.

Further, he said it was the responsibility of Modi to get the Delhi violence investigated thoroughly as the violence was "pre-planned" by somebody who was against him.

Jawad, who visited a mosque and two houses in Shiv Vihar destroyed during last week's violence, also claimed that explosives were used that ripped off roofs, twisted iron girders and broke reinforced concrete.

"The mosque in Shiv Vihar was destroyed by using gas cylinders. The roof of a house I visited was ripped off, iron girders were twisted and pillars of reinforced concrete were broken. It must have been some powerful explosive like one used by the terrorists," he claimed.

Jawad said a Supreme Court-monitored probe should be conducted into the violence.

"It (the violence) was planned beforehand. It was very dangerous as explosives were used. A Supreme Court monitored probe should be conducted, the special investigation team (of Delhi Police) or any other agency cannot do this (probe)," he said.

Violence erupted in northeast Delhi localities with a clash between two groups over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on February 23, which has so far claimed 44 lives. Houses, shops and a large number of vehicles were damaged and torched. Some religious places were also vandalised during the violence.