The Delhi Police acted in a swift and impartial manner while dealing with the 2020 North East Delhi violence, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Clashes had broken out between supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Act and those opposing it between February 23 and 26, 2020, in North East Delhi, killing 53 people and injuring hundreds. The police were accused of either inaction or complicity in some instances of violence, mostly in Muslim neighbourhoods. The violence was the worst Delhi saw since the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

In a reply to a written question, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said that the police action was “proportionate and appropriate”, and was done in an attempt to control the situation. “During the North East Delhi riots, Delhi Police acted swiftly in an impartial and fair manner,” he said. “Proportionate and appropriate actions were taken by Delhi Police to control the situation.”

The home ministry said the Delhi Police made “sincere, dedicated and incessant efforts” to bring the “riotous situation to normalcy” within a short period of time. “...[the police] also prevented the riots from spreading across to other areas of Delhi and NCR,” he added.

Reddy said the Delhi Police used appropriate force to control and disperse the mob with necessary legal and preventive action on all complaints and calls received, according to law and procedures.

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