Number Of Deaths In Last Week's Delhi Violence Rises To 53

The number of deaths in last week's violence in northeast Delhi has risen to 53. The violence had begun last Sunday after people for and against the Citizenship Amendment Act clashed. Houses were burnt, people were shot dead and lynched in broad daylight until the situation was brought under control four days later.

The police have said 654 cases related to the violence have been registered, and 1,820 people have been either arrested or detained.

The Delhi High Court today directed the police to publish details of all unidentified bodies brought to government hospitals following riots, news agency PTI reported.

The opposition has blamed alleged hate speeches by BJP leaders for the violence. The ruling BJP, however, accused the opposition of misleading people on the citizenship law.

There has been chaos in parliament over the opposition demand of a discussion on Delhi violence. The opposition parties have been hugely upset over the Speaker's refusal to hold it any time before Holi, arguing that the time for such a discussion is not right.

The tug-of-war on the issue had ensured repeated adjournments, allowing little time for any other business since parliament reconvened for the second half of the budget session.

Today, seven Congress MPs were suspended from the rest of the budget session.

Senior politicians like Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool's Mamata Banerjee have slammed the centre over the violence.

Mr Gandhi, who visited the violence-hit areas on Wednesday, said India's global image has taken a hit.

Earlier this week, Ms Banerjee, one of the fiercest critics of the BJP, had called the Delhi violence "state-sponsored genocide", and said the BJP was trying to replicate what she called the "Gujarat model of riots".

The Supreme Court will hear petitions related to the violence-- including that of hate speech -- on Friday.

With inputs from PTI