'Not dissent but disobedience of democracy': Priyanka Chaturvedi on Seelampur incident

Angry protesters demanding to scrap the amended citizenship law torched several motorbikes, pelted stones at police and damaged public buses in Northeast Delhi's Seelampur area on Tuesday. Police resorted to baton charges and fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. Reacting on the development, Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi has condemned the incident. Taking to Twitter, she said what happened in Seelampur is not dissent but "violent disobedience of democracy". She has demanded that the perpetrators of this should be dealt with strict action.

'Mob can't take law and order in their own hands'

Thousands of protesters clashed with the police, pelting stones and damaging vehicles. The initially outnumbered police responded by firing tear gas shells and lathi charging the crowd. The violence reportedly began when a crowd marching in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act was stopped by the police from moving forward at the Seelampur Chowk in East Delhi at around 2 pm. The situation soon turned ugly with the crowd clashing with the police.

'Situation under control'

Speaking about the incident, Alok Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police stated that the situation is under control and the police did not fire any bullet. He added that some police personnel are injured in the clash and a few vehicles have been damaged. 

Alok Kumar said, "When the protesters reached Seelampur point, we barricaded and stopped them. We told them to protest peacefully at that spot. They protested peacefully there for 45 minutes to an hour. The moment when they started dispersing, they started pelting stones. The police fired tear gas shells and the standoff lasted for one and half hour. No bullet has been fired and only tear gas shells were used. The situation is under control now. Some police personnel are injured. Two public transport buses, one Rapid Action Force bus and some bikes have been damaged during the protest." 

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The mood in the capital has been tense since buses and police vehicles were set ablaze in an outbreak of violence near Jamia Millia Islamia University, on Sunday. The varsity's students denied involvement, and police action inside the campus later that evening sparked nationwide protests. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act has been protested with particular bitterness in the Northeast, where it is seen as a threat to indigeneity. The government has denied that its policy is anti-Muslim and has promised to protect the rights of locals in the Northeast. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally appealed for calm both after Sunday's violence in Delhi and during the protests in the Northeast.

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