A meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body, began on Wednesday to discuss the prevailing situation in Delhi where communal violence has claimed the lives of 18 people.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi is chairing the meeting which is also attended by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other senior leaders. However, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is not present as he is currently abroad.
After the CWC meeting, senior Congress leaders will hold a peace march from the party’s headquarters at Akbar Road to the Parliament House.
On Tuesday, the Congress condemned the violence and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to rise above partisan politics, come forward and ensure peace in the city-state.
“This is Gandhi, Nehru and Patel’s India, can any Indian accept this mindless violence? Congress appeals to the people of Delhi to maintain communal harmony and thwart all attempts of the forces dividing the country on the basis of religion,” Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
He said violence and incidents of stone-pelting and murder in the national capital have shattered the nation, referring to the riots in northeast Delhi over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that continued for the third day on Tuesday. At least 10 people, including a police official, have been killed in the incidents of violence in Delhi.
“Our appeal to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Delhi chief minister is, can you rise to the occasion, leave aside your political partisanship and views, and become really not leaders of your parties but leaders of the society so that harmony, peace and non-violence prevail,” Surjewala said and asked the government to carry out peace marches in the capital state.
Surjewala asserted that the Congress party will stand with the Centre and the Delhi government in every way to maintain brotherhood and harmony in the society.
“Do not fail this country because you belong to different political parties. This is a sincere appeal on behalf of people of Delhi and the country to Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah and Arvind Kejriwal. There is no place for violence in Gandhi ji’s India… Today there is a need to establish peace on the ground and maintain brotherhood,” he said.
Surjewala said the Congress workers will help the government in maintaining law and order in the city.