Making a strong pitch for handing over Delhi Police control to the City Government, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought a meeting with the Prime Minister and the lieutenant-Governor following gangrape of two minor girls in the national Capital. The Chief Minister hit out at the Delhi Police, saying it had “completely failed” to provide safety to the citizens, while urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “either act himself” or give the AAP Government the authority over law and order in the Capital.
“PM sir, give control of delhi police to del govt for one year. If situation does not improve, take it back...Seeking time to meet l-G n PM to discuss women safety in Delhi,” he said in a series of tweets. In a major embarrassment for the city, two minors were brutally gangraped in the Capital, incidents which come close on the heels of the rape of a four-year-old girl in North-West Delhi last week.
Meanwhile, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday lashed out at the current regime for blaming the Central Government for the crimes, saying “It is wrong to blame the Prime Minister. Administration comes under Delhi Government. Police must be divided, one to look after VVIPs and diplomats, and other for law and order.”
Taking a note of criticism, l-G Najeeb Jung has called a high-level meeting with Kejriwal and Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi on deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi.
However, taking a grim view of the cases, he said, “Repeated rape of minors is shameful and worrying. The Delhi Police has completely failed to provide safety. What is the PM and his l-G doingIJ” said Kejriwal, adding Modi is “answerable” if he wants police to be under Centre’s control and requested him to meet Jung, who he said, was more keen on “interfering in the AAP Government’s work”.
“The only task left with l-G and Delhi Police is to interfere in our work. Rather they should focus on the safety and security of women in the Capital,” he added.
The AAP Government — which has been at loggerheads with the Centre — has repeatedly demanded that law and order be under the control of the Delhi Government and not the Union Home Ministry. Kejriwal had even convened a special Session of the Delhi Assembly to discuss the issue of women safety. Speaking at the Session, Kejriwal had said, “I want to ask Modiji... Either improve the situation of law and order in Delhi or after six months give us the powers. We will make Delhi the safest city in the world.” The decision to hold the special session was taken by the Government after a 19-year-old girl was murdered in Central Delhi.