Delhi Riots: Congress Leader and Former Law Minister Salman Khurshid Named in Police Chargesheet

New Delhi, 26 Sep 2020 [Fik/News Sources]: The Delhi Police mentioned the name of senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid in the latest chargesheet filed in a Delhi court in the Delhi riots case last week. He has been accused of giving ‘provocative speeches’.  

“Umar Khalid, Salman Khurshid, Nadeem Khan… they all used to give provocative speeches (at anti-CAA/NRC sit-ins in Delhi) and people used to get mobilised”, the police quoted a witness as saying in the 17,000-page chargesheet.

However, the chargesheet does not mention the nature of the alleged provocative speeches. The identity of the ‘protective’ witness has been concealed by the police. According to the police, the witness was part of the core team of conspirators accused of plotting the riots.

The statement, in order to give it a greater legal weight, has been recorded before a Magistrate (under Section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure).

Khurshid, former Law Minister, has also been named by another accused for giving speeches at protest sites in a statement recorded by the police.

“If you do garbage collection, you get a lot of filth. Any garbage can be put to support statements made by individuals. I would be intrigued to know what is a provocative statement,” the 67-year-old Congress leader told the media, responding to the allegations.

“Did I attend a protest to sing a lullaby or support a constitutional, legitimate cause? This is an attempt at garbage collection. Sadly, the garbage collectors are not doing a good job. Don’t pick up garbage and ask questions on the quality of garbage.”

“Has (the witness) not lied by saying I made provocative statements. Have the police acted on the statement? If they have not acted on it what is the value of the statement,” Khurshid added.

The ruling party has been accusing the opposition Congress of misleading the common people on the amended citizenship Act. However, the protesters have never given the credit of the movement to the Congress. It was claimed to be a genuine leaderless movement.

Khurshid is the highest-ranking politician named in police chargesheets so far. The police have come under criticism for using the riots probe to target critics of the government, as well as prominent figures from the anti-CAA/NRC movement.

CPM leaders Brinda Karat and Sitaram Yechuri, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and activist Yogendra Yadav have also been named in the chargesheet for giving provocative speeches.