Opinion: Delhi Cannot Be Allowed To Become India's Crime Capital

More than a century and a half ago, Delhi Police registered its first ever First Information Report (FIR) for stolen goods. That FIR, registered on October 18, 1861 was about a stolen hookah (smoking pipe), cooking vessels, and kulfi.

To the brave residents of today's Delhi, it might seem comical that an FIR was registered over stolen hookah and kulfi. The truth is that our metropolis has crime flourishing on the streets. For the capital of the mother of democracy, increase in crime rate does not help the case to improve the city's image as part of preparations for the G20 summit.

For any other state or city in India, it is not too difficult to fix the accountability for crime rate. Usually in such cases the buck stops at the Police Commissioner, Home Minister or in some cases, the Chief Minister. But accountability for crimes eludes the people of Delhi, as the elected Chief Minister does not control Delhi Police. Instead, it's the Union government-appointed Lieutenant Governor who heads the city's police force. This is a peculiar arrangement for any capital city of the world, it defies logic and puts public safety at great risk at the cost of misplaced priorities.

This year started on an ominous note, with horrific visuals of a young woman being dragged under a car for over 12 kilometers in North Delhi while PCR vans with "Always At Your Service" stickers were missing in action.

Six months since that incident, two more women were killed by 15-armed men, and a teenager was stabbed to death outside his college. Newspapers, TV and social media are abuzz with CCTV and mobile camera footage from the crime scenes. Ordinary citizens, longtime residents of the city are scared of stepping out of their homes. Some are even considering leaving the city for safer locations in India or abroad.

The central parts of the city, the preferred residential districts for powers that be, enjoy greater police protection than ordinary citizens living elsewhere. While PCR vans and beat staff are mostly missing when criminals strike, one would not miss their proactive presence when roads have to be cordoned off for VIP movement. This scheme of disproportionate resource allocation and lack of any accountability towards the people of Delhi make the city's police force apathetic to the concerns of Delhiites. The Union government appointed Lt Governor controls law and order in Delhi but the data and scenes on the streets make it obvious that he is failing at his job.

Lt Governor Vinai Chandrabhushan Saxena started his tenure claiming to be the "local guardian for the people of Delhi". However, his guardianship has proved to be fatal for innocent citizens of the city who lost their lives in the absence of adequate police security.

After daylight murders in the capital, it would not be out of place to at least expect a thorough review of the law and order situation in Delhi by the Union Home Minister and the Lt Governor. Yet, there are no such signs either from the North Block or the Raj Niwas, leaving people of Delhi to fend for themselves and worry for their near and dear ones.

It is criminal to commit any crime, but it is a greater crime and sin to let criminals flourish under the callous watch of the local guardian. This is exactly what the Lt Governor has been doing by deprioritising the safety of people of Delhi. He has not held any comprehensive review of the law and order situation, nor transferred or punished any erring police official.

While reviewing the city's law and order situation might not interest the Lt Governor, he does take a keen interest in decorating the city for G20 to the extent of even suggesting which flowers are to be planted along the road from airport. Recently, the Lt Governor, in a manner unbecoming of a constitutional post holder, hijacked the inauguration ceremony of a state university. These incidents are not isolated, as the Lt Governor spends more time in creating friction with the elected Delhi government. At this juncture, it would be wise to remind the unelected 'local guardian' that he must follow the constitutional duties assigned to him. Delhi cannot be allowed to turn into the crime capital of India and the responsibility for ensuring this lies with the Lt Governor.

This distressing state of affairs is a direct result of the Lt Governor's prioritisation of political interests over the well-being of the public, a blatant betrayal of his constitutional obligations. Delhi Police needs to be made accountable to the people of Delhi, it needs to work in close coordination with the elected representatives to allay the fear among people. Police resource allocation, in terms of personnel and PCR vans, must change to serving the people instead of already protected VIPs.

The unique administrative set-up of Delhi results from its status as the national capital. But contrary to constitutional aspirations, the safety and well-being of the people of Delhi has become a casualty of this peculiar system. Lack of democratic accountability has for long plagued Delhi Police, and it is disheartening to hear of the city being dubbed as the crime capital. The limited area of competence granted to the Lt Governor, of land, police and public order, should have been an opportunity for him to ensure safety in the national capital, and not perpetuate this disheartening cycle of negligence.

Undoubtedly, it is time to demand people's guardianship, rather than the guardianship of an unelected Lt Governor, to ensure accountability of the police and to make Delhi a safer and happier city.

(Reena Gupta is an advocate and national spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.