NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police is very capable of maintaining law and order but is given instructions to "just stand and not take any action", Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday in reference to the recent violence at JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia University.
He said it is not the Delhi Police's fault for not stopping the violence at the universities because they were following the orders they got.
"If Delhi Police gets order from above that you do not have to do anything to maintain law and order, what can Delhi Police do then," he told reporters.
Kejriwal was speaking while presenting a report comparing the governance model of his government with that of the BJP-ruled MCD.
"When we came to power, then hospitals and schools were in bad condition. We did not change the doctors or teachers as they were very capable. Political will is needed. (When) the order from above comes that you do not have to stop the violence, then they are forced to follow orders," he said.
Violence broke out at JNU on Sunday night as masked men, armed with sticks and rods, attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police which later conducted a flag march.
The Jamia Millia Islamia University turned into a battlefield last month after police and students, who wanted to march to Parliament to protest the amended Citizenship Act, clashed with each other.
He also said that in a republic, the power should reside with those who have been elected by the people and that is the reason the AAP and people of Delhi want full statehood.
"The biggest example is that I am often blamed that why all the work is being done in the last one year. That is because all our files used to go to the LG and it used to get stuck due to political reasons. When we got power, we were able to build mohalla clinics, install CCTV cameras," he told reporters.
"In a republic, the power should reside with the people who have been voted to power. This (not having statehood status) is neither good for the country nor for the national capital," he said.
Statehood was the main poll plank of AAP in Lok Sabha elections last year.
Kejriwal recently said that the issue of full statehood for Delhi would continue to be part of the party's manifesto for the upcoming polls in Delhi.
Delhi Assembly polls will be held on February 8 and the counting of votes will take place on February 11.