NEW DELHI, Jan 7: Amidst world-wide condemnation for Wednesday’s violence at the Capitol and the United States Congress certifying his defeat in the presidential elections, Donald Trump who till date has refused to accept the verdict of November 3 elections, has finally promised to ensure that the transfer of power to Joe Biden on January 20 would be “orderly and peaceful.”
But Trump has not budged from his stand that the elections were “fraud” and against the democratic spirit of the US. “The elections were stealing the democracy and explosion of bullshits,” Trump maintained.
Under heavy security following the storming of Trump supporters to the Capitol, the US Congress has certified the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the November 3 election by 306 to 232 Electoral College votes.
The US House of Representatives and Senate had met in a rare joint session for the certification of the Electoral College votes when “instigated” by Trump thousands of his supporters attempted to storm the Capitol in a bid to prevent the two Houses begin the process of certification resulting into deaths of four persons including a woman in police firing and violence.
“To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today – you did not win,” Vice President Mike Pence, who presided over the session, said as it resumed. “Let’s get back to work,” he said, drawing applause.
More than six hours after the violence erupted, lawmakers resumed their session.
The Capitol incident caused repulsive reactions even among many Republicans and erstwhile Trump supporters who like Pence issued statements condemning the violence. Among the senior Republicans to denounce Trump’s move was Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump ally, who in a statement on Twitter said Biden and Kamala Harris are lawfully elected. “I prayed Joe Biden would lose. He won. He’s the legitimate president of the United States. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are lawfully elected and will become the president and vice president of the United States on January 20th,” he tweeted.
While Graham told Trump “enough is enough,” another South Carolina Republican, Rep. Nancy Mace, said Trump’s accomplishments in office “were wiped out today.” At least one senior White House staffer resigned, and more resignations were possible as the weight of the day’s events settled in.
Former Republican President George W Bush described the violent mob as “a sickening and heartbreaking sight.” He declined to call out Trump or his allies, but the implication was clear when Bush said the siege “was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes.”
Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, a top House Republican and the daughter of Bush’s vice president, was much more direct in an interview on Fox News. “There’s no question the president formed the mob. The president incited the mob,” Cheney said. “He lit the flame.”
US President-elect Joe Biden called the scenes at the US Capitol ‘chaotic’ and said they “do not represent who we are.”
“Let me be very clear: the scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not represent who we are. What we are seeing is a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent, it’s disorder. It borders on sedition, and it must end. Now,” Biden said on Twitter.
The violence that brought condemnation from the US media was also decried by the leaders from all over the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom Trump always called “my dear dear friend,” condemned the violence by supporters of Trump saying “orderly and peaceful transfer of power must continue.”
Taking to Twitter, Modi said, “Distressed to see news about rioting and violence in Washington DC. Orderly and peaceful transfer of power must continue. The democratic process cannot be allowed to be subverted through unlawful protests.”
Besides Modi, several world leaders including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed their shock over the incident.
“Disgraceful scenes in U.S. Congress. The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power,” Johnson tweeted.
Ardern, on the other hand, said, “What is happening is wrong. Democracy — the right of people to exercise a vote, have their voice heard and then have that decision upheld peacefully — should never be undone by a mob.”
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, “In such circumstances, it is important that political leaders impress on their followers the need to refrain from violence, as well as to respect democratic processes and the rule of law.”
Several countries, both allies and antagonists of America, issued travel warnings to their citizens. Australia warned its citizens to avoid protests following what Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison described as “rather disturbing scenes” in the US. “The riots and protests that we’ve seen in Washington, D.C., have been terribly distressing. They are very concerning,” Morrison told reporters shortly after the US Congress resumed proceedings late Wednesday Washington time.
“This is a difficult time for the United States, clearly. They’re a great friend of Australia, and they’re one of the world’s greatest democracies. And so … our thoughts are with them and we hope for the peaceful transition to take place,” he said.
“Trump and his supporters should finally accept the decision of the American voters and stop trampling on democracy,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wrote on Twitter. “From inflammatory words come violent deeds.” He added that “contempt for democratic institutions has disastrous effects.”
“The beauty of democracy?” with a shrug emoji was the reaction tweeted by Bashir Ahmad, a personal assistant to the president of Nigeria, which has seen several coups since independence — including one led decades ago by President Muhammadu Buhari, who most recently entered the office via a vote.
Chilean President Sebastian Piñera and Colombian President Iván Duque were among those in Latin America who denounced the protesters, but both also said they were confident that American democracy and the rule of law would prevail.
Protesters tore down metal barricades at the bottom of the Capitol’s steps and were met by officers in riot gear. Some tried to push past the officers, who held shields, and the police could be seen firing pepper spray into the crowd to keep them back, even as the crowd shouted, “traitors”. The violence soon moved inside the Capitol building, with reports of firing at the premises. The violence also included the fatal shooting of a woman, according to the District of Columbia police.
The US media houses tore into President Trump calling him a “menace” and “unfit to remain in office” following the attack. Both print and electronic media held Trump directly responsible for inciting the mob and demanded that he be held accountable through impeachment proceedings or criminal prosecution.
The New York Times carried the headline ‘Trump incites mob’ on its front page. In an editorial titled ‘Trump is to blame for Capitol attack’, the newspaper said, “President Trump and his Republican enablers in Congress incited a violent attack Wednesday against the government they lead and the nation they profess to love. This cannot be allowed to stand.”
(Manas Dasgupta)