Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday appealed the protesters to maintain peace and said that violence cannot be tolerated in a civilised society. “I appeal to all the citizens of Delhi to maintain peace. Violence of any kind cannot be tolerated in a civilised society. Nothing will be gained by violence. Put your views peacefully," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
मेरी सà¤à¥€ दिलà¥Âलीवासियो से अपील है कि शांति बनाà¤Â रखें। à¤Âक सà¤à¥Âय समाज में किसी à¤à¥€ तरह की हिंसा बरà¥Âदाशà¥Âत नहीं की जा सकती। हिंसा से कà¥Âछ हासिल नहीं होगा। अपनी बात शांति से कहनी है।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 17, 2019
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal also appealed Delhiites to maintain peace. Baijal took to Twitter and wrote, "I appeal to all to maintain peace. Don't get involved in any kind of violence & immediately inform Delhi Police about violent elements. Violence is not only illegal but also inhuman. Express your concerns through peaceful democratic means."
सà¤à¥€ दिलà¥Âली वासियों से अपील है कि शानà¥Âति बनायें रखें। किसी à¤à¥€ पà¥Âरकार की हिंसा में शामिल न हों और हिंसक ततà¥Âवों की जानकारी तà¥Âरंत दिलà¥Âली पà¥Âलिस को दें। हिंसा ग़ैर क़ानूनी तो है ही, अमानवीय à¤à¥€ है। अपनी बातें शानà¥Âतिपूरà¥Âण लोकतांतà¥Âरिक माधà¥Âयमों से कहें।
— LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) December 17, 2019
Earlier today, angry protesters demanding scrapping of the amended citizenship law torched several motor bikes, pelted stones at police and damaged public buses in Northeast Delhi’s Seelampur area, in fresh violence in the national capital.
Police resorted to baton charges and fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. Plumes of smoke billowed from at least two localities. Police said two bikes of traffic cops were burnt by the demonstrators, adding a police booth in the area was damaged.
A large number of policemen were deployed following the violence. Police said the protesters were marching from Seelampur towards Jafrabad. Clashes erupted between police and protesters at Seelampur Chowk when the security personnel tried to stop them from moving ahead.
According to a senior police officer, the protest began at around 12 pm. The protesters raised slogans against the new law as well as the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The clashes erupted two days after violence broke out during a protest in the New Friends area in South Delhi near Jamia Millia Islamia.