Cutting across party lines, leaders on Friday denounced the alleged vandalisation of a prominent Christian school in South Delhi with Aam Admi Party saying both the Centre and the state have to think about how to prevent such “unacceptable” incidents.
“This is an incident which cannot be accepted. Society can’t stand like this. Everyone has to think about this including the Centre and the state,” AAP leader Manish Sisodia told reporters in New Delhi.
“Something needs to be done about it because such incidents have been continuously increasing. It can’t be left as a small incident.... People belonging to a religion are praying and others who are not following it are throwing stones at them.
“Let Saturday’s programme happen. We will discuss this with police that how such actions can be controlled because society needs to be kept together. If it is divided then it is a danger for the nation,” he said.
The AAP government will be sworn in on Saturday.
Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely also condemned the incident saying, “It is a matter of deep concern the way minorities are being attacked continuously. It shows the failure of police and government in maintaining law and order situation.”
Another Congress leader, Shobha Jha, said, “It is unfortunate that this is fifth such incident of an attack on minorities, church or schools being ransacked and the government is sleeping.”
“It is unfortunate that no arrest has been made in the last attack despite people of Christian community protesting against it. This shows the government is insensitive towards security of minorities,” she added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday summoned Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi in the wake of the incident and directed him to come down hard against those involved in such attacks.
BJP’s spokesperson Sambit Patra, however, said that the incident should not be viewed in religious context.
“I don’t think this is a targeted attack on a community. The principal has also come to the forefront and maintained that no religious item was attacked and it’s a case of theft. Even police commissioner has come out with the same comments on the matter. I think it’s unfair to mix religion into every issue,” he told reporters.
Unidentified persons had allegedly vandalised the school in South Delhi’s Vasant Vihar in the wee hours of Friday even as police and school authorities claimed it to be a case of robbery.
