Political parties from the spectrum — the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the BJP and the Congress — jostled to seek mileage from the gruesome stabbing case by queuing up at the Shahbad Dairy area to meet with the victim’s family members and even making announcements of compensation. The leaders from BJP, AAP, and Congress met and condoled with the bereaved family members of the 16-year-old girl who was killed in broad daylight in the Shahbad Dairy area of northwest Delhi. 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to her kin to help them tide over the tragedy while Delhi Women and Child Welfare Minister Atishi met the girl’s family members and assured that the Government would ensure that the accused receives the harshest of punishment.

BJP MP Hans Raj Hans also met the girl’s family on Tuesday morning and said no amount of money can bring the family its daughter back and also condemned the AAP for “politicising” the murder and using it to score political brownie points.

Delhi Congress president Anil Chaudhary, who also visited the family members of the victim, said, “Blame game begins”between Kejriwal and the L-G every time the “Government is held accountable.”  Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Swati Maliwal too met the girl’s family.

The girl was stabbed over 20 times and bludgeoned to death by a youth in a busy bylane of Shahbad Dairy area as passers-by looked on in fear and disbelief. “The Delhi Government will provide an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the victim and will try its best to get the culprit punished severely by the court. Best lawyers will be fielded for this case,” Kejriwal in a tweet in Hindi announced. Atishi visited the family of the victim in the Shahbad Dairy murder case and offered her condolences.

She assured them of the full support of the Kejriwal Government and pledged to ensure justice for the victim. Atishi in her turn slammed Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and alleged that "such incidents can be averted if the L-G takes responsibility."

She expressed concern about the prevailing sense of insecurity among women in Delhi, and said, "Parents in Delhi are grappling with the question of whether they should send their daughters to college and work when girls continue to fall victim of violence on streets. As a woman and a Minister of elected Government, I earnestly request the L-G to fulfill his constitutional responsibility of improving law and order in Delhi instead of hindering the work of Kejriwal, and prioritising the safety of Delhi's daughters and women."

Another leader of the Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj lashed out at the L-G over the horrific killing saying the people of Delhi have "lost faith" in the national capital's law and order system. "We urge the L-G to hold a Press conference and give us the information on how many police stations he has visited so far.  The L-G has zero accountability. If this was some other country, people would start asking for the Home Minister's resignation. People don't wish to come forward to help because they think they will be falsely framed by the police," Bharadwaj alleged.

The Delhi Police comes under the Union Home Ministry. The AAP which governs the city has been firm in its pursuit to wrest the control of police in Delhi to the elected Government.

"The family has lost its world. Daughters are considered goddess Lakshmi. We can just console them and provide some financial help," Hans told reporters after meeting the victim's kin. The BJP delegation accompanying Hans extended its sympathy to the family and gave a "small interim financial support" to them, said a statement from the BJP's Delhi unit.

Hans also condemned the AAP for "politicising" the murder and using it to score political brownie points.