As death toll in the violent clashes in Northeast Delhi touched 20 on Wednesday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Army should be called in as the police is “unable to control the developing situation”.
His assertion came as at least 20 people were killed and over 250 including a child has been injured amid clashes between the supporters and opponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Northeast Delhi.
Kejriwal stated that the situation is “alarming”. Police, despite all its efforts, is unable to control the situation and instill confidence, he said.
The Chief Minister further said the Army should be called in and curfew should be imposed in the rest of the affected areas immediately and added that he was writing to the Home Minister to this effect.
His latest remarks come after late night protests outside his home. The crowd – mainly students from JNU, members of the Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia (AAJMI) and Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) – demanded action against perpetrators of the violence in Delhi. They were dispersed at around 3:30 am on Wednesday as the Delhi Police resorted to use of water cannons.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had attended an emergency meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the wake of the violent protests in the northeast part of the national capital.
Besides Kejriwal, the emergency meeting was attended by Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, Congress leader Subhash Chopra, BJP leaders Manoj Tiwari and Rambir Singh Bidhuri and others.
Terming the meeting as “positive”, Kejriwal said it was decided that all the political parties will ensure that peace returns to the city.
He further said that the Army might be called in to control the situation if the need arises.
However, the Home Ministry has ruled out calling the Army to control the situation in the national capital.
Ahead of the meeting, Kejriwal had called an urgent meeting of MLAs of his own party as well as the BJP to discuss the situation and work out solutions to ease the unrest.
In the meeting held at his residence, Kejriwal called for the need to seal the borders and make preventive arrests. The direction came as MLAs of the border areas said that people were coming to the national capital from outside.
He said the MLAs of the affected areas have informed him of a severe shortage of police force and that the police cannot take action till they receive orders from higher authorities.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi chief minister had met the victims of violence being treated at the GTB Hospital and Max Hospital.
“Hindus, Muslims, policemen – none have escaped unhurt.. this madness must end immediately,” he tweeted along with a few pictures.
Met with victims of violence being treated at the GTB Hospital and Max Hospital. Hindus, Muslims, policemen – none have escaped unhurt.. this madness must end immediately pic.twitter.com/Nh2VI6BRTG
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 25, 2020