NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday lashed out at the Lieutenant Governor, expressing concern over the ‘alarming increase’ in serious crimes in the national capital. While the CM called for improvement of Delhi’s law and order situation, L-G Vinay Kumar Saxena, in a reply to the letter, said that he has been reviewing and monitoring the police on a regular basis. The CM, in his letter, has emphasised that four murders have occurred in the past 24 hours alone, causing distress and raising significant apprehensions among the residents.
Flashing back to recent incidents, the letter read, “Gruesome recent incidents like those where a girl was killed, dismembered and buried by her live-in partner, a girl being stabbed to death by a man in public view with no one attempting to save her and a girl being dragged for kilometres under the wheels of a car, indicate towards a sea-change in not only the nature of the crime but also the approach of the society towards it, as a whole.”
Dropping the ball into the AAP government’s court, the L-G said, “You (CM Arvind Kejriwal) and your Council of Ministers are indeed welcome to meet me for a meaningful discussion that leads to solutions rather than creating political opportunities for you and your party to exploit the media gallery.” Kejriwal expressed his disappointment at the lack of urgency displayed by the L-G and the MHA, who are responsible for maintaining law and order.
Besides, the CM also called for the revival of thana-level committees, which previously served as platforms for regular and active engagement between the police, the public and elected representatives until 2013. He pointed out that there has been a rise in the number of private security guards hired by residents due to the shortage of Delhi Police personnel.
The L-G also said, “I have been reviewing and monitoring the Delhi Police on a regular basis. Biweekly meetings with the Commissioner of Police, weekly meetings with Special CPs and periodic meetings aimed at direct interface with the DCPs is a regular part of my schedule.”