Family of LoP not safe, how will ordinary people feel secure?: AAP questions central govt

New Delhi, (25/6/2019): Today, the Aam Aadmi Party leaders Atishi Marlena and Saurabh Bhardwaj conducted a press conference about the deteriorating law and order in Delhi. The recent daylight robbery incident with Shobha Gupta, wife of opposition leader in which some goons stopped her car and robbed her purse puts a question mark on Delhi Police’s credibility.

Addressing a press conference on increasing levels of crime in Delhi, Atishi said, “The wife of the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Shobha Gupta, who has been a councillor in the MCD in the past, became a victim of daylight robbery at a market in Mandi House. Her car was stopped in its path and when she stepped out of the car, her bag was stolen from her. This has happened in the centre of the city. If the wife of a sitting MLA and Leader of Opposition, which is a very important Constitutional position, is not safe in Delhi, how will ordinary people feel secure?.”

Questioning the lack of action by the Delhi Police, Atishi said, “In the middle of this crisis, the Delhi Police is busy playing politics. When the chief minister of Delhi expressed his concern over law & order on Twitter, the Delhi Police, whose responsibility it is to ensure the safety of the people of Delhi, is busy politicking. Instead of conducting review meetings, increasing its ground presence to build public confidence, it is indulging in petty politics. The Delhi Police, instead of making unbelievable claims on Twitter that crime has decreased in the city, the Delhi Police should ask the people if they feel secure.”

“There are 7 BJP MPs, the LG and the Union Home Minister, all of whom are responsible for Delhi’s security – will any of them today come forward to take responsibility for the condition of the city’s law and order? Delhi’s elected government, the chief minister have repeatedly said that we are prepared to provide any support needed by the Police. We are in the process of installing 1.4 lakh CCTV cameras across the city. We are providing a feed to the local. If the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Police need any other support, we are ready to do whatever is necessary. But the Bharatiya Janata Party will have to take responsibility for security,” said Atishi.

On the question of accountability of the Delhi Police to people, Bharadwaj said, “Delhi has elected BJP MPs for the second time this year. In the last 5 years, how many times have any of them raised the issue of security in Parliament? Not even once. The question in people’s minds now is – is anyone accountable at all? The BJP has created a system where no one but the but the Commissioner is answerable. Does this happen anywhere in the country? If there’s a health crisis, do we ask questions to the Health Secretary or the Minister?”.

“The BJP since it has come to power has put an end to MLA led thana-level committees to keep police accountable, said Bharadwaj, himself the MLA from Greater Kailash. “Today only MPs conduct these District level meetings to fix responsibility on the Police, but who knows what’s going on there? The BJP has created a situation where the Police has no accountability to local representatives.”