Police is very capable of maintaining law and order, but is instructed from above, Arvind Kejriwal said
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.
Mr 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," he said
"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," the Chief Minister added.
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.