No one has ever benefitted from violence: Delhi Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam

Delhi Cabinet Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Tuesday urged people to maintain peace and said that violence has never benefitted anyone.

"Nobody is going to benefit from this. No one has ever benefited from violence," Gautam told ANI here while appealing to people to maintain peace.

Gautam along with other AAP MLAs, including Sanjeev Jha and Prahlad Singh Sawhney attended a meeting at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence.

"Whatever is happening in North-East Delhi is condemnable. We were receiving calls from people. After that, we went to meet the Lieutenant Governor. We waited for four hours to meet him. I urge the people to hold talks peacefully," Jha said.

Sawhney also appealed to all to maintain peace.

After the meeting, Kejriwal told media persons, "I appeal to all Delhites to maintain peace. We are worried about the violence in North-East Delhi. Several policemen and civilians were injured and some lost their lives. Several houses were set ablaze and shops were damaged. It is very unfortunate."

"MLAs of the affected areas informed me that there is a severe shortage of police force and police can't take action till they receive orders from the top. I have also asked District Magistrates (DMs) to take out peace march with police in these areas," he added.

Protests related to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) took a violent turn at various places in North-East District of Delhi on Monday in which seven people, including one police head constable, lost their lives and 105 got injured in the clashes.

Delhi Police stated that the "situation is very tense".