35 dead in Delhi violence, tension continues in areas

Parts of Delhi remained on the edge with 35 people dead and over 200 people injured after four days of brutal violence over the citizenship law. 130 people have been arrested so far according to the Delhi Police. Police also said that said WhatsApp was used to organise criminal elements from Uttar Pradesh and to identify areas to target.

Over 50 phones have been seized from the accused. Hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel are patrolling the streets of northeast Delhi. Reports of arson and unrest emerged from northeast Delhi’s Bhajanpura, Maujpur and Karawal Nagar areas.

A delegation of Congress leaders, led by Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, walked to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind. “We handed over demands to President Kovind in a memorandum. The centre and the Delhi government were mute spectators to the violence, said Mrs Gandhi.

In his first official statement on the violence Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for peace.

Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers to maintain peace and brotherhood. It is important that calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest. – Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Home Minister Amit Shah has come under criticism for failing to control the violence. He held many meetings with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and also issued a call for peace on Wednesday. Kejriwal said neither Hindus nor Muslims would benefit from the violence and said: “Delhi now has two options: Either people can come together and help make the situation better or they can hit and kill one another”. He also demanded that the Army be called in.

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