PM appeals for peace, Sonia asks 'Where was Amit Shah?'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday appealed for peace in the wake of three days of communal violence, which has left 23 people dead and over 150 injured in Delhi.

The PM said on twitter, “(I) 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.” Calling for calm, the PM said: “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.”

The Opposition Congress called a meeting of its Working Committee (CWC) which passed a resolution asking for the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah over the "colossal failure of duty" of the Delhi Police in curbing the riots. The CWC also urged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to be visible in the riot-hit areas.

“Where was the Home Minister and what was he doing since last Sunday? Where was the Chief Minister of Delhi and what was he doing since last Sunday?”

The BJP fielded Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javdekar to mount a counter-attack on the Congress. “Those with the blood of Sikhs on their hands are now talking about communal harmony. They talked about ‘when a big tree falls, the earth shakes’. They now have the nerve to demand answers,” said Javdekar.

Well-planned conspiracy

Sonia, who was talking to reporters after the CWC meeting, expressed shock at the silence of the top leadership at the Centre on the ongoing violence. “There is a well-planned conspiracy behind the continuous traumatic accidents that have been happening since last Sunday. The country saw this conspiracy during the Delhi elections as well,” she said.

The CWC expressed grave concern over the “unprecedented continuing violence” and said they have a history, design and pattern. “Several leaders of the BJP made inflammatory statements clearly intended to create an atmosphere of fear and hate. The last of these statements was made on Sunday, when a BJP leader gave an ultimatum of three days to the Delhi Police and warned that ‘after three days don’t tell us anything’,” the resolution said.

The party will meet President Ramnath Kovind on Thursday to lodge a complaint against the Centre. The leaders have also decided to take out a peace march on Wednesday.