The Aam Aadmi Party has raised concerns about the intentions behind the letter sent by the Lieutenant Governor (LG) to Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal. The party has asserted that the LG’s communication lacks sincerity and is politically motivated, casting doubt on his commitment to effectively address the growing crime rate in Delhi. The party has also denounced the LG’s misleading statements regarding the nature of crimes in Delhi. The LG suggests that most crimes are being carried out in a scientific and modern manner, a claim that is misleading and far from the truth. The AAP has challenged the LG to provide evidence and substantiate his assertions by sharing the scientific methods employed in recent high-profile cases, such as the incidents involving a DU student, two sisters in RK Puram, a youth in Narela, and another in Kanjhawala.
In a press conference held today, senior AAP leader and MLA Shri Sanjeev Jha criticised the LG and the law enforcement administration under him for the rising cases of crimes in the capital city. The AAP has consistently condemned the lackadaisical attitude of the LG over the lax criminal administration, and demanded swift action for the benefit and safety of the residents of Delhi. Shri Sanjeev Jha cited the letter penned by Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal to the LG, expressing his concern and dismay over the NCRB report on crime in Delhi which painted a worrying picture of the national capital. It should be noted that the report stated that if all the crimes committed in the 19 metropolitan cities of India were added up, 32% of those crimes would be deemed to have taken place in Delhi. He also highlighted the deplorable state of the Delhi police, both in terms of manpower and technological equipment, and appealed to the LG to take the issue of rising crimes more seriously for the safety and benefit of the people of Delhi.
The senior AAP leader said, “If we talk of these last 24 hours, you would have seen the news of the stabbing of a 72 year old senior citizen – who was stabbed 20 times, the rape of a 10 year old girl. in DU a 19 year old student was murdered. In RK Puram, two sisters were shot dead. In Narela, a 32 year old was murdered by stabbing. Similarly, in Kanjhawala, a 25 year old was choked to death in an attempt at robbing his phone. A 22 year old youth was shot dead in Kalindi Kunj. There hs been a consistent stream of crime including murders and rapes that continue to haunt Delhi. The people of Delhi live in an environment of consistent and ever looming fear. It is in light of these rising instances of crime that CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal had written a letter to the LG.”
In the letter, the CM had offered some suggestions on how this disproportionately high rate of crime can be reduced. On behalf of the people of Delhi for addressing this overlooked but pertinent issue, he had proposed a discussion of the Delhi cabinet with the LG. Shri Arvind Kejriwal had also proposed that police hold joint meetings with the MLAs and the local RWAs to get suggestions on how to better reduce crime.
It should be noted that before 2013, there used to be thana level committees in Delhi. This committee would include the local MLA and Councillor. They would meet once a week when they would discuss issues such as what crime took place in the jurisdiction of the thana. To that end, a report would be produced on the FIRs filed and what investigations would take place thereupon. The CM had suggested in his letter that this thana level committee be reestablished, so that it could act as an audit, to check how many FIRs are registered, and what their status is.
Criticising the LG for not recognising the severity of the situation, Shri Sanjeev Jha said, “It seems that the LG’s response to this letter does not seem to acknowledge the alarming situation in Delhi. Instead of addressing the issue, the letter is more a political response, trading accusations and claims. What is more damning is that there has been no response to the suggestions made by the CM.” Shri Sanjeev Jha also expressed his dismay that the LG responded that the nature and means of committing crimes have changed whereas in the news today, there are reports of stabbing, shooting, rapes and murder by strangulation, which require no modern or scientific measures.
He rebutted the LG’s perspective and remarked, “The LG thinks that this recent wave of crime is the result of new technologies and tools, it shows that he doesn’t read the papers, he isn’t serious about his responsibility in reducing and stopping crime. He writes that he sits and discusses with the Commissioner of Police. If he indeed discussed regularly with the CP, then he would know the nature of crime taking place in Delhi currently. This means the LG is lying. I don’t believe that the CP of Delhi is unaware of the nature and extent of crime in Delhi. And if he indeed is discussing this issue with the CP, then what is the conclusion from these meetings? If he is indeed having meetings, then Delhiites want to know what steps they are taking to reduce this rising crime wave.”
AAP has been vocal in criticising the LG for allowing crimes to rise while the people of Delhi continue to live in an environment of fear. Shri Sanjeev Jha added, “The residents of Delhi feel scared of leaving their houses. But criminals are entering their homes and murdering them without being caught or even feeling the fear of the law. It is the responsibility of the LG to protect the people of Delhi to make sure that such instances of crime do not take place in the future, so that the people of Delhi can breathe a sigh of relief.”
The senior AAP leader also highlighted the problem of understaffing at police stations, functioning at 30 to 40% capacity, leading to difficulty in maintaining law and order and pursuing criminal investigations to their end. He shared the example of his own constituency, Burari where there should be 80 police constables but at present there are only 32. At Lal Quila, police strength was 42 in 2013, but today it is around 12. Shri Sanjeev Jha questioned the veracity and effectiveness of the meetings between the LG and police commissioner, as no real solutions have been suggested or put in place till now.
Moreover, it should be noted that the CAG report stated that more than 50% vans used during mobile patrol do not have guns. The communication system used by the police is over 20 years old. “On the one hand, the LG says criminals are using new technologies to commit crimes. And on the other hand, our police have a 20 year old communication system. How will this match? Why is LG not bringing up this issue? Today, the Anti Terror Unit of the Police, also known as SWAT, also functions under capacity.”, Shri Sanjeev Jha remarked.
The AAP leader criticised the LG for not paying heed to the issue at hand and instead participating in PR and photo ops for his own benefit, taking credit for the work of the AAP government. He appealed to the LG to not function like the agent of a political party, and instead deliver on his duties as a constitutional post holder and serve the people of Delhi by working seriously to reduce crime in the streets.
