The Samajwadi Party MLA from Maharashtra blames intelligence failure and cautions security forces not to repeat past injustices by targeting innocent Muslims
NEW DELHI – As the nation mourns the casualties in Monday’s powerful bomb blast near Red Fort in the national capital, Samajwadi Party legislator in Maharashtra Abu Asim Azmi has raised serious concerns over security and intelligence failures, urging authorities to conduct a fair and transparent investigation.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Tuesday, Azmi condemned the incident and expressed deep sorrow for the victims’ families. He also warned against the wrongful targeting of innocent Muslims, reminding the public of past incidents where several blameless individuals suffered due to hasty police actions.
“Delhi is not a small town; it is the capital of India,” said Azmi. “If such a major blast can happen here, it clearly shows a failure of our intelligence and security system. This is shameful and worrying.”
Azmi strongly criticised the tendency of some investigative agencies to arrest people without sufficient evidence, especially from the Muslim community, after terror-related incidents.
“In the Mumbai serial blasts, dozens of innocent people were jailed for years and later released by the high court,” he said. “The same mistake must not be repeated now. Arresting innocent people to cover up one’s failure is a great injustice.”
The MLA called for the strictest punishment for the real culprits but insisted that investigations be guided solely by facts and not prejudice.
“Those who are truly guilty should be hanged within six months,” Azmi said firmly. “But do not make the mistake of arresting innocent people just to show that the system is working.”
The Red Fort area, one of India’s most secure zones, is closely monitored due to its national significance. The fact that a car loaded with explosives could detonate so close to such a site has alarmed many.
“Our system is vast, but when something like this happens in the capital, it exposes serious weaknesses,” Azmi remarked. “How can the nation feel safe if even the capital is not secure?”
He urged the government to overhaul the intelligence network and conduct an independent inquiry into how such a major breach occurred in a highly protected zone.
Azmi offered condolences to the families of the victims and appealed for calm and unity among citizens. “We should stand with the victims, not divide the nation further,” he said. “Our fight should be against terrorism, not against any religion or community.”
Local Muslim leaders and human rights groups have echoed Azmi’s concern, calling for transparency in the investigation and protection of minority rights.
Mohammad Kaleem, a Delhi-based activist, said, “Azmi has spoken what many fear silently—that Muslims are too often blamed first and cleared later. Justice must mean fairness for all.”
Security across the capital has been tightened, and teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and forensic departments are probing the scene.
Abu Asim Azmi’s remarks have reignited debate over accountability, communal fairness, and the performance of the country’s intelligence apparatus. “Every Indian deserves safety and justice,” Azmi concluded. “The guilty must be punished—but not at the cost of the innocent.”
