NEW DELHI, March 9: Indian President K.R. Narayanan said on Saturday that he felt “ashamed” at the happenings in Gujarat and assured a delegation of Muslim leaders of taking up the issue with Prime Minister Vajpayee.

According to the delegation members, Narayanan observed that had the army been deployed in time, much of the killings could have been averted.

The police had also acted in a manner that did little to help the situation from aggravating.

Narayanan’s views fly in the face of denials by the central and state governments of any delay in the deployment of the army or of failures on the part of the Gujarat police.

On earlier occasions of violence against the Dalits and minorities, Narayanan had expressed similar views.

The delegation demanded the resignation of Home Minister Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The delegation was led by the Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, Maulana Ahmed Bukhari.

Delegation members said they had sought the president’s intervention to stop further killings.

They urged that the government be asked to pay Rs 1 million per person as compensation for those killed, including those who died in the train incident.

They complained that the bodies of the riot victims were being buried by the authorities instead of being handed over to relatives.—APP