Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Thursday said the communal violence that broke out in North East Delhi last month was orchestrated, The Indian Express reported. At least 53 people were killed and over 500 injured in last month’s violence in Delhi, which began after supporters and opponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act clashed with each other.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha during a discussion on the violence in the national Capital, Sibal said the clashes happened because of the “communal virus” that was spread by the people giving hate speech, ANI reported. “Who were the collaborators of the communal virus that was spread?” Sibal asked.

Without naming Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma, who have been accused of instigating violence in Delhi with hate speech, Sibal asked Home Minister Amit Shah why there were no cases filed against them. “You can do anything to protect cows, can’t you do anything to protect the lives of human beings?” Sibal said. “Do we need to bring another Article to ensure the protection of human being?”

Sibal attacked the Centre on the alleged excess committed by the Delhi Police during the clashes and questioned why no cases had been filed despite there being evidence of some policeman aiding the rioters.

The parliamentarian then referred to a video showing a Muslim man being beaten up by police personnel and forced to sing the national anthem. He was then reportedly detained by the Delhi police for 36 hours and detained medical attention, following which he died. “It is clear that the police were helping those who were indulging in violence and its result was the death of innocent people who had nothing to do with the riots,” Sibal said.

BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi hit back and said the situation of the Delhi Police has “become like Iraq”. “They are being attacked for every wrong that is happening,” he said.

The violence in North East Delhi, which broke out between February 23 and 26, was discussed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Replying to the debate, Shah had called the violence a “well-planned conspiracy”, and praised the Delhi Police for bringing the situation under control within 36 hours.