Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh petitioned President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday, urging him to ask the Government to preserve ‘Raj dharma’ in the wake of Delhi violence.

Speaking to reporters after leading a delegation of top party leaders to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Sonia Gandhi called upon the President to secure the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah. The Congress said Shah abdicated responsibility during the Delhi clashes.

Manmohan Singh addressed reporters and said the Congress had urged the President to ensure the PM preserves raj dharma.

In a memorandum to the President, the Congress said it was alarmed at the abdication of constitutional duty by the union government and the Home Minister to protect the lives and property of the residents of Delhi.

“You must undoubtedly be aware of the unprecedented violence, arson, looting, stone-pelting and brutal murders taking place in the national capital over the last four days. Instead of taking active steps to remedy or diffuse the situation, the Central Government as also the newly elected Delhi Government, have remained mute spectators as completely mindless rage, designed violence and organised looting of the property has continued unabated. Due to the complete inaction on the part of the Home Minister and the Central Government, the violence has claimed the lives of at least 34 people and over 200 have been injured at last count,” the memorandum says.

Sonia Gandhi read the memorandum which said: “Delhi chaos gives rise to several questions. First, where was the Home Minister and what was he preoccupied with since last Sunday that he was unable, apparently, to give his attention to these grave events? Delhi Chief Minister and the newly elected Delhi Government was also completely missing from the scene.

There was clearly a failure of intelligence agencies. What was the strength of the police force deployed on the night of Sunday when there were clear indications that violence will intensify further?”

Congress said that in the light of recent events there is no option left but to demand the immediate sacking of the Home Minister, who has “utterly and abjectly failed in the performance of his primary and principal duties.”