Arvind Kejriwal offered "all possible cooperation" to ensure the rule of law in Delhi. (file)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today wrote to the Lieutenant Governor, calling for urgent attention to "an alarming spurt" in serious crimes in the national capital. Referring to official crime figures, he also took a swipe at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Lieutenant Governor for failing to take preventive steps on crimes against women.
Pointing to four murders in Delhi in the last 24 hours, the Aam Aadmi Party chief appealed to the LG, Vinai Kumar Saxena, to initiate "urgent effective steps to restore the confidence in residents about the security and safety of their lives, since such serious crimes have shaken Delhi".
Arvind Kejriwal offered "all possible cooperation" to ensure the rule of law in Delhi.
"It is high time that those entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the safety of lives of residents of Delhi should not be seen as failing time and again in their mandatory duty," he wrote.
Pointing to figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report which was made public last year, Mr Kejriwal said it should have served as an eye-opener for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Lieutenant Governor, "both of whom are directly responsible for maintenance of law and order here, but unfortunately that did not happen".
According to this NCRB report data, out of the total crimes against women that took place in 19 metropolitan cities in India, Delhi alone accounted for 32.20 per cent of the total crimes.
"Given such alarming figures, urgent preventive steps on crimes against women were required, but unfortunately, for the reasons best known to the MHA and your good self, nothing changed on the ground," he further wrote.
The Delhi Chief Minister claimed residents are being forced to engage private guards "in large numbers" for the safety of lives and properties due to a lack of Delhi Police personnel in the field.
Effective police patrolling particularly during night hours and urgent engagement with the residents of Delhi on how to improve the law and order here are the "need of the hour", the letter said.
Arvind Kejriwal proposed a meeting between the LG and his cabinet colleagues for a meaningful discussion on the issue.
He suggested police officers may be directed to hold joint meetings with elected MLAs, councillors, and RWAs to suggest better ways of reduction in crimes in the national capital.
"Thana-level committees existed in Delhi till 2013 which provided a platform for active and regular engagement between police, people and elected representatives. These committees may be revived," he added.