By Aminul Islam Mirja
NEW DELHI, Feb 26, 2020 (BSS) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today
appealed all for maintaining “peace and brotherhood” against the backdrop of
violence in northwest Delhi over the controversial pro and anti-Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA).
“I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and
brotherhood at all times. Peace and harmony are central to our ethos,” he
tweeted, in his first reaction after three days of violence that claimed at
least 22 lives and injured nearly 200.
The casualties took place during violence erupted between the pro and
anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) groups on Sunday.
“It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the
earliest,” Modi wrote.
India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who was reported to have
been tasked to restore normalcy in the violence-hit parts of Delhi,
meanwhile, issued another statement saying that there are enough forces on
the ground and that no one needs to fear.
He told media that Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were also constantly
reviewing the situation so that it could not be further escalated.
Opposition Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, on the other hand,
demanded Shah’s immediate resignation for “colossal failure” to restore
normalcy and accused both the Central and Delhi governments for the violence
in the national capital.
“The central government, including the Home Minister, is responsible. The
Congress party demands that he resign immediately,” she told media emerging
from a meeting of the party’s highest decision-making working committee.
Gandhi simultaneously feared that the violence was “part of a systematic
design”.
It was seen during Delhi Assembly elections too. The BJP leaders had
vitiated the atmosphere of Delhi through their speeches during the
elections,” she said.
According to media reports, fresh violence was erupted this morning in the
national capital with reports of arson and stone-throwing. A battery shop was
set on fire in Bhajanpura area. The shop was vandalized and burnt batteries
were strewn on the road, news agency PTI reported.
The Delhi High Court, in a late-night order yesterday, asked police to
ensure safe passage and emergency treatment for those injured in the violence
in the capital since Sunday.
The hearing by a two-judge bench of the Delhi High Court took place at the
residence of Justice S Muralidhar responding to an urgent petition seeking
safe passage for the injured to medical institutions with adequate
facilities, NDTV reported.