Mumbai violence rocks Parliament, BJP blames Intelligence failure, votebank politics by govt

New Delhi: There was absolute bedlam in Parliament on Tuesday as the House took up the Mumbai violence and Assam riots issues. While the Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon following an uproar by the Opposition, the Rajya Sabha saw BJP leader Balbir Punj slamming the Mumbai protests as "Intelligence failure".

"The Saturday violence in Mumbai raises many key issues. In a democracy, every one has a right to protest, but the way slogans were raised and what happened at Mumbai's Azad Maidan was sad and worrisome."

"The target at the rally was the media, women police officials and shops in the area. How did something that happened in Assam influence the protest in Mumbai? Was this not Intelligence failure?" he asked.

There was absolute bedlam in Parliament on Tuesday as the House took up the Mumbai violence and Assam riots issues.

"The Assam violence was not a communal one. It was against the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. It was really sad that the Mumbai rally expressed sympathy for the illegal immigrants," he said.

He further slammed the government for "indulging in vote blank politics". "Is it not true that SMSs were sent to provoke people? The Maharashtra government was also informed about it. But the government did not act against them. Is this not vote bank politics?"

Saturday's rally in Mumbai had been called by Muslim organisations, the Raza Academy and Awami Vikas Party, to protest against the Kokrajhar riots in Assam and the ill-treatment to Muslims in Myanmar.

However, within hours, the demonstrators went on a rampage mode, vandalising buses, torching media vans and pelting stones at the police.

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