The Aam Aadmi Party has expressed deep concern over the recent surge in crimes against women in Delhi and criticised the Lieutenant Governor (LG) for neglecting his responsibility to protect the women of the state. The Aam Aadmi Party’s lashing out has come after several crimes against women in Delhi in the recent past, especially the ghastly Shahbad Dairy incident. In a scathing attack, AAP Chief Spokesperson Ms Priyanka Kakkar questioned the priorities of the LG, stating that the LG is so busy infringing upon the Kejriwal Government’s powers that he has forgotten his responsibility to protect the women of Delhi. She further questioned whether the women of Delhi are not safe because the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allegedly stands with rapists at every step.
While, AAP Senior Leader and MLA Shri Dilip Pandey voiced his concern over the Shahbad Dairy incident where a minor girl was brutally murdered in front of witnesses, exposing the deteriorating law and order system under the LG. He further highlighted the alarming statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which indicate that two rapes occur in Delhi every day. He also accused the LG of turning a blind eye to these distressing figures and failing to take appropriate action to address the issue.
AAP National Convenor and Delhi CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal also called on the LG to look after the situation on priority, and tweeted, “A minor girl was brutally murdered in Delhi, this is very sad and unfortunate; the criminals have become fearless, there is no fear of the police. LG sir, law and order is your responsibility, do something. The safety of the people of Delhi is of paramount importance.”
AAP Chief Spokesperson Ms Priyanka Kakkar blamed the LG Office for this incident and further said that this not the first incident of such nature in Delhi. She added that the National Capital is currently at its lowest point when it comes to ensuring the safety of women. She recalled some of the major incidents of crime against women in Delhi since the beginning of this year, where the victim was eventually murdered by the accused. “On New Year’s Day we all woke up in Delhi to hear about the horrific murder of Anjali, where she was dragged under the tyre of a car for a distance of 12 kilometres by five accused in the case. Three days after this incident, on 4th January, a 21-year-old girl was brutally stabbed and killed in Adarsh Nagar. In February, another horrific case was registered in Dwarka, where the accused, Sahil Gehlot, murdered his partner, Nikki Yadav, and stored her dead body in the refrigerator and on the very same day went off to marry another girl,” she said.
She pointed out that in March there was a case in New Friends Colony where an auto driver stabbed a woman multiple times and killed her just because the two parties had had an argument over the fare of the auto ride. She also said that in April this year, there was an incident from Shalimar Bagh where the accused entered the house of a 45-year-old woman and stabbed her to death. “Once again in April, there was an incident from West Sagarpur where a 24-year-old girl was stabbed to death. Today, it is the end of May and this morning we heard about this unfortunate murder of a woman at Shahbad Dairy. This is not an exhaustive list but only an inclusive one, and only includes those unfortunate deaths that were highlighted in the regional media,” she said.
Ms Priyanka Kakkar pointed out that because of a higher number of CCTV cameras in Delhi as compared to other cities, some incidents of such horrific nature get caught on cameras and therefore it is possible to arrest the guilty and put them behind bars. However, despite this advantage, the Central government has been unable to make Delhi a safe space for women. She asked why the National Capital of the country has such a high record of crime cases against women. “Is it because the Central Government has often been seen coming to the assistance of those who are accused of crimes of such nature? Or is it because the person who is responsible for curbing such crimes in Delhi, the Lieutenant Governor Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, is himself an accused when it comes to a case of assault against a woman? Throughout the day, we see the LG trying to block the developmental works carried out by the Delhi Government and also go around the city trying to take credit for the work done by the state government. He is so busy in interfering in the works of the state government, that he does not take his responsibility of maintaining law and order in the city seriously. It is probably because of this that such cases are on the rise in Delhi,” she said.
The AAP Chief Spokesperson hit out at the LG for his miserable job in maintaining law and order in Delhi and asked whether he has ever visited a police station in the National Capital. “I request the LG to inform the people of Delhi about how many police stations in the National Capital has he visited since taking over as the Lieutenant Governor. This data should be made public by his office. He also needs to come out to the public and inform us regarding what steps has been taken by his office to improve the safety of women in Delhi. Why should any more women in Delhi have to lose their lives because of the failure of the LG Office? It is fairly obvious that he has not taken his job of ensuring the safety of women seriously and therefore he needs to resign immediately,” she concluded.
Shri Dilip Pandey, held the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Delhi responsible for the worsening law and order situation in Delhi, brought to national attention by the viral video of the appalling murder of a minor girl in Shahbad Dairy on Sunday. In a scathing criticism of the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi, he highlighted the alarming rate of crimes against women in Delhi and cited the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). He said that within just one year of his tenure, the inaction of LG Shri VK Saxena has led to a deteriorating state of law and order in Delhi, raising concerns about his priorities and accountability. Appealing to the LG to prioritise the safety of citizens over political conspiracies, Shri Dilip Pandey called for the urgent establishment of a meaningful dialogue between police stations and the public, a comprehensive action plan, and visible grassroots-level efforts to address concerns and restore the trust of Delhi citizens.
Shri Dilip Pandey addressed the media on Monday to condemn the horrific murder incident of a minor girl that unfolded in the Shahbad Dairy area on Sunday. A video that surfaced on social media platforms and web portals shows a minor girl being repeatedly stabbed, kicked, and bludgeoned to death with a cement block by a young man.
The AAP leader said, “Yesterday, a deeply horrifying incident unfolded in Delhi, as captured in CCTV footage that has gone viral and has shaken the conscience of the nation. It has struck fear into the hearts of all women in Delhi. This distressing incident has exposed the worsening state of law and order in Delhi and brought the role and accountability of the LG into question. It is alarming that within just one year, the LG, Shri VK Saxena, has managed to further degrade the state of law and order in Delhi, leaving us questioning his true priorities.”
Drawing attention to the alarming rate of crimes against women in Delhi, Shri Dilip Pandey quoted recent National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data and said, “Every day, two rapes are occurring in Delhi. 2022 NCRB data shows that crimes in Delhi exceed those in the other three metropolitan cities combined.” The AAP has been repeatedly urging the LG to bridge the growing mistrust between the police and the people through concrete actions, but the LG’s lack of engagement and inaction on law and order issues have raised serious concerns.
He continued, “The alarming NCRB data speaks volumes. It is evident that the safety of women is at stake, and the Lieutenant Governor, as the custodian of law and order in Delhi, has failed in fulfilling his duty to protect its citizens. The NCRB is not an agency of Shri Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party; it is an agency of the Central Government. It is the responsibility of the Lieutenant Governor to ensure the security of Delhi and its women. Restoring safety and instilling confidence in the residents, especially women, should be the LG’s top priorities. The question remains: What actions are being taken to address this crisis?”
Shri Dilip Pandey expressed serious concerns over the lack of action from the LG in addressing the law and order situation in Delhi. The AAP MLA highlighted that the AAP has repeatedly called upon the LG to take concrete actions to bridge the growing gulf of mistrust between the police and the people of Delhi. “The maintenance of law and order in Delhi is a primary responsibility of the LG. However, it is disappointing to note that the LG rarely ventures into the field to address the deteriorating law and order situation,” he said.
Shri Dilip Pandey noted that, in the face of escalating crime in Delhi, the Lieutenant Governor’s ignorance about the basic functioning of Delhi’s police stations is alarming. Highlighting the LG’s negligence, he questioned, “Why does the LG fail to take concrete action that would restore the people’s faith and bridge the growing gulf of mistrust between the police and the citizens? How many times has he engaged with the public on the law and order situation? How many police stations has he visited to understand the ground realities and identify and assess the concerns of Delhi residents?”
Furthermore, he highlighted that the closure of the police station committees at the legislative assembly level, despite the Ministry of Home Affairs’ directive to restore them, highlights the disregard of the LG administration for the critical issue of law and order. It is also evident that the BJP’s MLAs have no concern for Delhi’s law and order either, as they are the ones who chair the district-level police station committees. He said, “The Lieutenant Governor must take immediate action to address the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi, or acknowledge his lack of influence.”
Shri Dilip Pandey further criticised the LG, saying that though he often seeks media attention, his engagement with the public on the issue of law and order has been negligible. He said, “The LG does not even tweet on law and order, his key responsibility, aside from a stray tweet in February. This reflects his lack of commitment to addressing Delhi’s law and order issues.
He continued, “Instead, the LG seems more interested in generating sensational headlines, often crossing boundaries by leaking the news.” He also highlighted the penchant of the LG House for leaking news and breaching the bounds of LG’s duty, earning it the title of ‘Leakage House’ amongst the public.
Shri Dilip Pandey said that the Delhi LG is too busy undermining the Kejriwal administration to focus on the safety of women in Delhi. Highlighting the lack of attention and priority given by the LG to the pressing issues of law and order in Delhi, he said, “Why don’t you (the LG) find the time? It appears that your constitutional obligation to maintain law and order doesn’t hold the top spot on your priority list. You seem to be busy obstructing Shri Arvind Kejriwal from actively working for the people and providing them with necessary facilities. You are too busy finding ways to subvert and disobey even Supreme Court orders.”
The AAP MLA appealed to the LG to set aside political conspiracies and ploys and prioritise the safety and well-being of Delhi residents. He stated, “The women of Delhi are suffering the consequences of your inaction. I, as a people’s representative, humbly request that you wake up from your political stupor and complacency. For a moment, set aside your agenda of obstructing the work of Shri Arvind Kejriwal’s government.”
“Focus instead on fulfilling your constitutional obligation and securing the law and order of Delhi as your top priority. In light of the rising crimes, establish a meaningful dialogue between Delhi’s police stations and the public. Develop and present a comprehensive action plan that can effectively reassure the public about the state of law and order in Delhi. Only through visible grassroots-level efforts and a genuine focus on making law and order the top priority can the women of Delhi feel safe and the people’s mistrust be alleviated,” he said. He concluded by expressing hope that the Lieutenant Governor would respond in a constructive and logical manner to the concerns raised on behalf of the people of Delhi.
The Delhi Chief Minister, Shri Arvind Kejriwal, also expressed his grief over the tragic incident. He tweeted, “A minor girl has been brutally murdered publicly in Delhi. This is very sad and unfortunate. The criminals have become fearless, there is no fear of the police at all. LG Sir, law and order are your responsibility. Do something. The safety of the people of Delhi is of paramount importance.”
The AAP stands united in demanding swift and decisive action from the Lieutenant Governor to restore law and order, ensure the safety of the people, and instill a sense of security in the hearts of all Delhi residents.
