‘Peace and harmony central to our ethos’: PM Modi tweets on Delhi violence, appeals for calm

PM Modi underlined that it is necessary to maintain “calm and normalcy” at the earliest and said agencies on the ground were working to ensure “peace”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made an appeal to the protesters in Delhi to remain calm and maintain peace and brotherhood at all times.

“Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest,” PM Modi said on Twitter. “Had an extensive review on the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy,” the Prime Minister further said in another tweet. 

The tweets come hours after both Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court expressed disappointment over the functioning of Delhi Police. While the Supreme Court panned the police for “lack of professionalism”, the Delhi high court said it is appalled by the state of affairs of Delhi Police.

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The Opposition too had attacked the government for the loss of lives in Delhi. The Congress held a meeting of its highest decision-making body, the working committee, and blamed the Centre for the “colossal failure”.

The Centre has been regularly monitoring situation in Delhi with Home Minister Amit Shah holding three meetings in a span of 24 hours. National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval also took stock of the situation and even visited the violence-hit areas along with Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik.

Doval has been given the charge to oversee Delhi Police’s efforts to maintain peace in the area.

Twenty people have been killed in the violence which began on Monday. More than 250 are injured.

Fresh arson and stone-pelting was reported in Babarpur in Northeast Delhi on Wednesday after which the security personnel conducted a flag march. All the security personnel were equipped with riot gears and batons during the march. Some of them were also seen with INSAS rifles.

The violence broke out on Monday as PM Modi sat down for talks with US President Donald Trump who was on a two-day visit to India. When asked about the discussions between the two leaders on Delhi violence, Trump had said that he did not discuss individual attacks with the PM, but was confident that he will handle it since Modi is a “tough man”.