L-G should focus on curbing crime instead of interfering in govt.’s functioning: AAP  

Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday slammed Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena over increasing incidents of crime, saying he should perform his primary duty of maintaining law and order in the city instead of “interfering” in works of the elected government.

Taking to X, AAP national convener and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the situation alleging that law and order in the city has “completely collapsed”. “There is a complete ‘jungle raj’. People are feeling unsafe in the country’s capital. Delhi’s law and order comes under Amit Shahji. He will have to take effective steps immediately,” he said.

The L-G office did not offer a reaction to the allegations but the BJP, which rules at the Centre, accused AAP of trying to mislead people to avoid anti-incumbency sentiments against its government ahead of the Delhi Assembly poll due in February.

The AAP government’s statement came in the wake of three firing cases reported in the city on Saturday, with the police suspecting that these were carried out to extort “protection money” from businessmen.

The Capital’s law and order comes under the Union Home Ministry, which manages it through the L-G.

Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said Mr. Saxena “likes to interfere” in the works of the Public Works Department, which does not come under his jurisdiction. “He does not have any interest in improving law and order that has gone from bad to worse,” he said. The Minister also alleged that thousands of Delhi residents have quietly paid money to gangsters. 

“If you go to any businessman’s party in Delhi, you will get to know that 80 out of 100 people present there have paid an extortion amount at some point in time,” he added.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor junked the accusations, saying the Minister is“exaggerating occasional incidents related to law and order”. He said while it is necessary to even stop occasional incidents of crime, it is equally important to recognise that the crime detection record of Delhi Police has been “commendable”.

Meanwhile, the Congress held both AAP and the BJP responsible for the “jungle raj” prevailing in Delhi. Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said AAP is only indulging in blame-game instead of working in coordinating with the L-G and law enforcing agencies to protect the lives and properties of people.

“Delhi has become the crime capital of the country under the very nose of the Union Home Ministry, which has been a mute witness to the worsening law and order situation,” Mr. Yadav said.