PositiVe WaY

A day after Delhi Police was pulled up and ordered by the High Court to watch clips of hate speeches given by political leaders, the force, after doing so, will be making a "conscious decision" over filing FIRs against leaders for giving provocative speeches and conveying it to the court on Thursday.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed 'anguish' over Delhi Police's failure to register FIRs against three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders over their alleged hate speeches in connection with the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)-related violence and asked the police commissioner to take a "conscious decision" on it by Thursday, February 27.

Delhi High Court Justice S Muralidhar, member of the bench hearing the pleas over the Delhi violence, was "amazed" to hear a senior police official tell him during the Wednesday hearing that the police had not watched footage of an alleged hate speech by the BJP leader Kapil Mishra.

The High Court directed the Special Commissioner of Police to sit with the Commissioner in view of all these clips and make a conscious decision and convey it to the court by 2:15 pm on Thursday.

The high court bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Talwant Singh said when the police can register 11 FIRs in incidents including arson, looting, stone pelting, why it did not show alacrity when it came doing so in connection with the alleged hate speeches by the three BJP leaders -- Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Kapil Mishra. Thakur and Verma had made provocative remarks during the Delhi Assembly poll campaign.

High Court's wrath came as Delhi Police on Wednesday said that it had filed 18 FIRs and arrested 106 in connection with the violence.

Meanwhile, an uneasy calm settled over parts of riot-hit North East Delhi on Wednesday after almost 72 hours of unrest that killed 27 people and injured over 200. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval visited the violence-hit parts of Delhi twice in under 24 hours and said that the situation was under control.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to all for peace and brotherhood.

Here's what has happened so far, in 10 points

1) Ajit Doval given task of monitoring situation in violence-hit Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have asked National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to monitor the situation closely and ensure restoration of peace at the earliest, officials said.

Immediately after visiting US President Donald Trump embarked on his return flight, Ajit Doval undertook a late night tour of the riot-hit areas on Tuesday accompanied by Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, newly-appointed Special Commissioner SN Shrivastava and other senior officers, they said.

Ajit Doval again visited the affected areas, in under 24 hours, on Wednesday with senior officers where he met with locals and assured them that the situation is under control. Ajit Doval returned to North Block to brief Home Minister Amit Shah in the afternoon about the current law and order situation.

2) Situation remains mostly calm, extra force deployed to restore law and order

Around 72 hours after North East Delhi was hit by violent riots killing 27 people, normalcy was limping back albeit at snail's pace. As the smoke billowing from burnt vehicles settled, residents of the violence-hit areas assessed the damage with moist eyes and trembling hands.

The Centre deployed 45 companies of paramilitary forces to contain violence in Delhi and restore law and order situation. A heavy presence of police and paramilitary personnel was seen in the violence-hit areas, including Shiv Vihar, Gokalpur, Jaffrabad, Maujpur and Chand Bagh.

People in these areas mostly kept indoors as prohibitory orders were imposed and police personnel conducted flag marches.

3) Sporadic instances of violence

While the situation remained mostly calm, sporadic instances of violence were reported from parts of violence-hit areas of North East Delhi and body of an Intelligence Bureau staffer was found from a drain in the Chand Bagh area.

Delhi Commission For Women chief Swati Maliwal on Wednesday said an office of the Mahila Panchayat of the panel was set ablaze in riot-hit northeast Delhi's Gokalpuri area. Fire was also reported from a shot at a scrap market in North East Delhi.

An Intelligence Bureau staffer was on Wednesday found dead in a drain in northeast Delhi's riot-hit Chand Bagh area where he lived, officials said. Ankit Sharma, 26, who was missing since Tuesday is said to have been killed in stone-pelting.

4) Delhi Police arrests 106, registers 18 FIRs

Delhi Police said that it has arrested 106 people for their alleged involvement in the North East Delhi violence and registered 18 FIRs.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Mandeep Singh Randhawa said all those miscreants who created trouble are being identified and added that there is CCTV footage and strong evidence.

Delhi Police also released two helpline numbers -- 011-22829334, 22829335 -- for people to reach out during distress and any information related to violence. Delhi Police said that people can also share details on helpline number 112.

5) Home Ministry holds back-to-back meetings

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has held a string of meetings in the past three days, chaired a meeting again on Wednesday to review the security situation in the violence-hit areas in Delhi.

Amit Shah was also given a briefing on the prevailing situation by NSA Ajit Doval after the latter's visit to the violence-hit areas.

On Tuesday, Amit Shah had chaired a meeting which was attended by Delhi LG Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Commissioner of Police Amulya Patnaik and others. The meeting resolved that workers of political parties should join hands to restore peace in the city and peace committees be reactivated in all localities.

6) HC, SC vent ire on Delhi Police over delay in action

The Delhi High Court expressed "anguish" over the Delhi Police's failure to register FIRs against three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders over their alleged hate speeches in connection with the CAA-related violence and asked the police commissioner to take a "conscious decision" on it by February 27.

A High Court bench was on Wednesday hearing pleas by human rights activist Harsh Mander and activist Farah Naqvi seeking lodging of FIRs and arrests of those involved in the communal violence in parts of North East Delhi over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

When the court asked the Delhi Police why it has yet not registered FIRs against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Parvesh Verma and Anurag Thakur for delivering hate speeches in Delhi, the police said they have not watched clips of these controversial speeches.

Justice S Muralidhar, a part of the bench hearing the pleas, was "amazed" to hear a senior police official tell him during the hearing that the police had not watched footage of hate speeches made by the political leaders, especially that of BJP leader Kapil Mishra who on Sunday made remarks after which the clashes between pro and anti-CAA protesters turned violent.

7) PM Modi, CM Kejriwal appeal for peace

As police conducted flag marches and security personnel spread out across the northeastern edge of the national capital in a bid to quell the violence raging since Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister appealed to all to maintain peace.

PM Modi, in his first reaction, appealed for peace and brotherhood. Asserting that it was important for calm to be restored at the earliest, Modi said on Twitter, "Had an extensive review on the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy."

Arvind Kejriwal, who earlier in the day announced Rs 1 crore compensation for the family of Rattan Lal -- the Delhi Police Head Constable who lost his life in the violence - visited the riot-hit areas along with his deputy Manish Sisodia.

8) Opposition holds Centre responsible, demands Amit Shah's resignation

The Opposition held the Centre responsible for the communal violence in Delhi with Congress president Sonia Gandhi demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation.

Congress also said it plans to march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday to hand over a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind over the issue. The party planned to do so after the CWC meeting on Wednesday itself but postponed it as president gave time for Thursday.

Addressing a rare press conference at the party headquarters after chairing a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, party's interim president Sonia Gandhi alleged there was a "well-planned" conspiracy behind the violence, that has also led to injuries to more than 200 people over the past three days.

Also, Opposition leaders including Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Loktantrik Janata Dal Sharad Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, and those from DMK and NCP, have also sought time from President Kovind to discuss the violence that has engulfed parts of North East Delhi.

9) AAP demands action against BJP leaders, narco test on SHOs of affected areas

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday demanded action against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra and Abhay Verma for allegedly instigating people during communal clashes in Delhi that claimed 24 lives.

Speaking in the Delhi Assembly on the last day of a special three-day session, Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj demanded that there should be a narco-analysis test on SHOs of riot-hit areas so that the "truth comes out".

He also sought to know why the police are not taking strict action against Mishra and Verma, the Laxmi Nagar MLA, despite their being sufficient evidence against them.

10) Delhi HC to hear plea seeking registration of FIR against BJP leaders for hate speech today

The Delhi High Court will on Thursday hear the plea seeking registration of FIR against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma for allegedly making hate speeches.

The hearing will be held before the bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Harishankar.

A division bench of Justice Muralidhar and Justice Talwant Singh had heard the matter on Wednesday.

The High Court had directed the Special Commissioner of Police to sit with the Commissioner in view of all these clips and make a conscious decision and convey it to the court by 2:15 pm on Thursday.