Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday reviewed law and order situation in the national Capital with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta while directing Delhi police to take action against the networks that help illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas entering India, to take measures to ensure women safety, and ensure ruthless action against inter-state gangs. It was the first top level interaction after BJP came to power.
The AAP regime did not attend such meetings in its 10-year rule.
A key decision taken in the meeting was regarding the expeditious disposal of the 2020 Delhi riots cases. Shah urged the Delhi government to appoint special prosecutors to ensure speedy trials, as per the MHA. Another policy shift was announced regarding construction-related matters, where it was decided that Delhi police permission would no longer be required. The Union Home Minister said strict action should also be taken against police stations and sub-divisions that consistently perform poorly.
On traffic congestion, Shah said the Delhi Police should identify the places witnessing traffic jams daily and the Delhi police commissioner and chief secretary should meet and find a quick solution to this.
Besides the top brass of Delhi Police including Commissioner Sanjay Arora, Home Minister Ashish Sood and other senior officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Delhi government, who are responsible for law and order and coordination.
Sources said the meeting came a day after Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Delhi Chief Secretary Dharmendra reviewed steps to transform the Yamuna’s ghats along the line of the Sabarmati river front in Gujarat. Several issues related to policing and the law and order situation in Delhi - from women’s safety to tackling traffic congestion - came up for discussion during the meeting.
During the meeting, Amit Shah directed strict action against networks facilitating the entry of Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants into the country, assisting them in obtaining documents and enabling their stay. “The issue of illegal intruders is also related to national security and it should be dealt with strictly, and they should be identified and deported,” Shah stated.
The Home Minister said it should be the Delhi Police’s priority to eliminate interstate gangs in the city ruthlessly. Action must be taken with “top to bottom and bottom to top approach” in narcotics cases, and such drug networks should be dismantled, he said.
The meeting was also attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi’s Home Minister Ashish Sood, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora and other senior officials.
Shah said it should be the Delhi Police’s priority to eliminate interstate gangs in the city ruthlessly. Action must be taken with “top to bottom and bottom to top approach” in narcotics cases, and such drug networks should be dismantled, he said.
Referring to the BJP winning the Delhi assembly polls this time after a gap of over 26 years, the Union home minister asserted that the double-engine government in Delhi will work with double speed for a developed and safe capital as expected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shah also emphasised the need for a ‘Monsoon Action Plan’ to address water-logging issues in the capital, instructing the Delhi Government to identify affected areas and take preventive measures.
Further, he directed authorities to take strong action against underperforming police stations and sub-divisions. “Strict action should be taken against Delhi’s police stations, sub-divisions which consistently perform poorly,” he said.
“The Delhi Police should start the recruitment process for additional posts soon. DCP-level officers should visit police stations, organise public hearing camps and solve their problems,” he said.
The Union home minister said new security committees should be formed in JJ clusters for the safety of women and children there.
Officials privy to the deliberations at the meeting said, the Home Minister asserted that the double engine government of Delhi “will work with double speed for a developed and safe Delhi” in line with the expectations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“...Whenever the Government of India sought details on small issues that were causing big problems to Delhi, the then (AAP) government of Delhi never cooperated on it... Detailed discussions were held on where and what things need to be fixed... Primary discussions were held in Delhi from the point of view of women’s safety, and soon, work will be done on making policies on this... Solutions to issues related to PWD were discussed, and national security and international gangs, which are a problem for the security system of Delhi, there was also an in-depth discussion on that...”, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said after the meeting.
Delhi’s Home Department’s minister Ashish Sood said, several key issues were discussed, including jail reforms, prosecution procedures and improvements in collector offices. He said that one of the main concerns raised during the meeting was “the safety of women, with officials focusing on identifying dark spots and enhancing CCTV coordination to prevent crime in the capital”.
