Expressing sadness over the violence in Delhi, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that Mahatma Gandhi's spirit is needed more than ever as it is essential to create conditions for a true community reconciliation.
Guterres has expressed sadness over the casualties following the protests in Delhi, and called for maximum restraint and for violence to be avoided, the UN chief's spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Thursday, 27 February.
"The Secretary-General has been following the situation in India and... concerning the violence closely and is saddened by the reports of deaths that we've seen over the past few days in New Delhi and again reiterates, as he's done in other places, his calls for maximum restraint and for violence to be avoided," Dujarric said.
Dujarric was responding to a question on whether the Secretary General has any comment on the riots in parts of New Delhi over the new citizenship law and if he has communicated with the Indian Government.
Earlier Dujarric had said that Guterres is closely following the situation in New Delhi and stressed that demonstrators should be allowed to demonstrate peacefully and security forces should show restraint.
Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Thursday, 27 February said law enforcement agencies are working on the ground to prevent violence and ensure restoration of confidence and normalcy.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)