NEW DELHI – National Security Adviser Ajit Doval usually deals with defence policy and international affairs.

Yet, the powerful official has been hitting the streets of the riot-torn parts of capital city Delhi in a public outreach, interacting with locals and assuring them of protection following mounting criticism that the government had failed to contain violence in Delhi.

“Whatever is happening, we are not able to sleep and we are not feeling safe,” a young woman wearing a hijab told him on Wednesday (Feb 26) evening.

Mr Doval, surrounded by television cameras, assured her that people’s safety was the responsibility of the government and police. “I give you my word of honour.”

Still as the Narendra Modi government grappled with the aftershocks of the Delhi riots, with the death toll rise to at least 37, many questions were being raised about why it took three days for the violence to be brought under control and whether communal tensions will be further fanned by the developments.

Opposition parties blamed the federal government, which controls Delhi police and law and order in the capital city, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused opposition parties of politicising the riots.

“We called upon the President to suggest to him that what has happened in the last four days in Delhi is a matter of great concern and a matter of national shame… It is a reflection of the total failure of the central (federal) government to control the situation,” said former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who was part of a delegation of Congress Party leaders that met President Ramnath Kovind on Thursday (Feb 27).

The violence in the north-eastern part of Delhi broke out after a clash between those supporting and opposing the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which provides citizenship to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The CAA, which the government said is for persecuted minorities, has triggered nationwide protests.

The Delhi riots, however, turned communal, leading to over 200 people being injured in clashes between Hindus and Muslims.

Eyewitness accounts also detail how Hindu mobs stopped people to demand to know their religion, and beat up reporters who were documenting the violence.

Those killed include both Hindus and Muslims, ranging from a driver with the intelligence bureau, a rickshaw puller, to those working for small businesses.

The violence broke out during the high-profile visit of US President Donald Trump, bringing global focus to the developments in Delhi.

“Even though it wasn’t the whole of Delhi that was burning, the picture of violence is far more evocative than picture of tranquillity,” said political analyst Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.

“So much violence (in the capital city) would likely have an impact on investors. It does impact the image of Mr Modi (internationally).”

There were calls for India to protect its minorities in particular. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a US government commission, urged the Indian government to “take serious efforts to protect Muslims and others targeted by the mob violence”.

Still, Mr Trump during his India visit had said it was for India to deal with the violence and had expressed admiration for Prime Minister Modi and his statements on religious freedom.

The Ministry of External Affairs slammed the statements by the US body and other international criticism.

“We have seen the comments made by USCIRF, sections of the media and a few individuals regarding recent incidents of violence in Delhi. These are factually inaccurate and misleading, and appear to be aimed at politicising the issue. Our law enforcement agencies are working on the ground to prevent violence and ensure restoration of confidence and normalcy,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar, noting that the Prime Minister had appealed for calm.

Wednesday’s transfer of Justice S. Muralidhar – the third-highest judge of the Delhi High Court – to the Punjab and Haryana High Court also stirred controversy. This followed a hearing of a petition on the Delhi violence during which he criticised the government and police, and wondered why cases were not registered against BJP leaders who made incendiary statements.

Opposition parties accused the government of a rushed transfer even as the government maintained it was a routine transfer and that it had been in the works since Feb 12.

The case is now before the Chief Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel, who has given the government four weeks to respond to the petition.

There were reports of sporadic incidents of violence in the riot-affected areas even as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a compensation of one million rupees  (S$19,500) for the families of those killed in the riots, among others, while urging strict action against those responsible for the violence.

“People responsible for violence in north-east Delhi should not be spared, even if they are from my own party,” said Mr Kejriwal.

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