Sonia Gandhi chairs high-level CWC meet amid Delhi violence; Rahul Gandhi abroad: Sources

A meeting of the Congress Working Committee commenced on Wednesday to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in the national capital. Congress president Sonia Gandhi is chairing the meeting, which is being attended by party General Secretary Priyanka Vadra, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other senior leaders. During the meeting, they observed silence to mourn the people who lost their lives in the Delhi violence.  

However, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi was conspicuous by his absence. As per ANI sources, Gandhi is currently abroad. After the meeting, Congress leaders are likely to hold a peace march from the party headquarters to the Parliament House. The party has summoned a meeting of its Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs later in the day.  

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The violence in Delhi

Violence has broken out in several areas in northeast Delhi such as Maujpur in clashes over the CAA. Amid the rampant violence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting on the prevailing law and order situation in the national capital at noon on Tuesday. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Subhash Chopra, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari, and other officials participated in the meeting.

Subsequently, the borders of Delhi were sealed. Additionally, the Home Ministry deputed SN Shrivastava as the Special Commissioner of Delhi Police (Law and Order). The NSA’s visit to North-east Delhi on Tuesday night came after the marathon meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah from 7 to 10 pm. Shrivastava also took part in the deliberations. The death toll in the violence has risen to 20 while 189 people have been reported to have sustained injuries in the clashes. The NSA has been put in charge of quelling the violence, and will be briefing the Cabinet and the PM on Wednesday.

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