Riots in Delhi during Trump's visit 'intriguing, mysterious': Kiran Bedi
New Delhi: Communal violence in parts of the national capital during US President Donald Trump's visit to the country was "intriguing and mysterious", Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi said on Friday and hoped that the probe ordered by the government would bring out the truth.
Bedi, who was a 1975-batch IPS officer of AGMUT cadre and served in various capacities in Delhi, told PTI over phone that such large-scale violence and arson when the country was hosting an important dignitary such as Trump was "too much of a coincidence".
"The visit had a lot of potential to strength the country's economy. More economy means more wealth, jobs, industries and prosperity. The violence happened at the time when India was being lauded by the world's most powerful country. Any true lover of the country would have never done this," she said.
"One can have grouse (against the amended Citizenship Act). But the timing of the protest and the subsequent violence is very intriguing and mysterious," Bedi said.
Forty-two people have so far died in the communal clashes that had broken out in northeast Delhi five days ago after violence between anti- and pro-Citizenship (Amendment) Act groups spiralled out of control.
Frenzied mobs torched houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump and pelted stones at local residents and police personnel. Bhajanpura, Maujpur, Jafrabad, Gokalpuri, Shiv Vihar, Mustafabad, among other localities in the region were the worst-hit.
The Puducherry L-G also claimed that the communal violence in northeast Delhi undermined international media coverage of Trump's visit to the country.
According to her, another point of "intrigue" was the recent "media expose" about presence of a molotov cocktails, stones and bottles of acid on the roof of the house of a "functionary".
"The kind of evidence which is surfacing from a functionary's rooftop points to a serious conspiracy. These kind of evidence obviously links the issue with the "mystery" of violence during Trump's visit," Bedi said.
Asked whether the Delhi Police and intelligence agencies failed in anticipating the violence, the Ramon Magsaysay awardee said the probe would bring out the truth.
"Obviously such riots cannot happen unless there is a failure on someone's part. There was failure by the police. But who were responsible for it and where it failed -- all these will come out in the probe which has already been ordered," she said.
About some senior Delhi police officers who failed to visit the areas to contain the violence, Bedi said, "It is for the higher authorities to look into and take appropriate action".
She expressed happiness over 1985-batch IPS officer S N Shrivastava, who was trained by her when he was an IPS probationer in 1986-87 in North Delhi and she was DCP (North) then, has been selected for the post of Delhi police chief.
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BY Raghavendra among candidates who filed nominations in Karnataka today
Bengaluru, Apr 18: Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra and Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami of Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Math are among prominent candidates in the Lok Sabha election who filed their nominations on Thursday, for the second phase of polling in Karnataka on May 7.
Yediyurappa, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and several other leaders of the BJP-JD(S) alliance held a massive road show in support of sitting MP Raghavendra who later submitted his papers as the BJP candidate from Shimoga, a seat he has represented thrice in Parliament.
Dingaleshwar Swami, a prominent Veerashaiva Lingayat seer who filed his nomination as an independent from Dharwad Lok Sabha segment, is taking on BJP MP and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. He has accused Joshi of “suppressing” Veerashaiva-Lingayats and other communities, and also misusing the Lingayat maths and causing disrespect to them, in order to stay in power.
ALSO READ: BY Raghavendra and his wife have assets worth Rs 73.71 crore
Two other BJP MPs, P C Gaddigoudar and Umesh Jadhav, also formally entered the fray from Bagalkote and Gulbarga Lok Sabha segments, respectively.
Jadhav, who in 2019 defeated Congress's current National President M Mallikarjun Kharge, is facing his son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani, who is the grand old party's candidate.
BJP's Raja Amareshwara Naik from Raichur filed his papers, as also did his opponent, retired IAS officer G Kumar Naik (Congress)
Minister Satish Jarkiholi's daughter and Congress candidate from Chikkodi Priyanka Jarkiholi too filed her nomination.
Polling in Karnataka will take place in two phases. In the first phase, 14 out of the state's 28 Lok Sabha constituencies will go to the polls on April 26.
In the remaining 14 segments, voting will take place in the second phase on May 7, for which April 19 is the last day for filing nominations. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 20 and April 22 is the last day for withdrawal of papers.
