Stop crimes, not Kejriwal: AAP chief in jibe at BJP over law and order in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 27 (PTI) "Stop crimes, not Kejriwal," AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday as he accused the BJP-led Centre of failing to maintain law and order in Delhi.

Lashing out at the BJP and the Union home ministry for "turning Delhi into a hub of extortion and violence", Kejriwal also promised to make the national capital a safer city.

The former chief minister hit out at the Delhi Police, which functions under the home ministry, for not effectively acting against criminals. He also accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of negligence.

"There is an atmosphere of fear and insecurity everywhere in Delhi. Women feel unsafe stepping out after 7 pm and parents worry about their daughters going to college," Kejriwal claimed during an address at a 'padyatra' in Dwarka.

Extortion threats, shootings and public crimes have become a norm under the BJP's watch, he charged.

Kejriwal also vowed to improve public safety, irrespective of whether he held the power to directly control law enforcement agencies. "The people of Delhi are my power." Highlighting the AAP government's achievements in health, education and electricity supply, he pointed out that the BJP-led Centre had failed to meet its responsibility of enforcing the rule of law in the national capital.

Kejriwal was earlier allegedly prevented from meeting the victim of a two-month-old shooting incident in Nangloi Jat.

Announcing his plan to visit the area, Kejriwal had said on X, "There is an atmosphere of fear and insecurity everywhere in Delhi. Bullets are being fired in the streets, traders are being threatened, and murders are taking place in public. Amit Shah ji has made a mockery of the law and order of Delhi." "This evening I am going to meet two such families in Nangloi. Bullets were fired at one family's shop in broad daylight. The other family was asked to pay a ransom of crores of rupees over phone. And all this is happening all over Delhi," he said in the post in Hindi.

However, he later alleged that "BJP supporters and goons" surrounded the area and stopped him from meeting the victims' families. He further claimed that the police did not intervene despite his vehicle being blocked.

"I came here to meet the victims; I had no other intention. There were thousands of BJP supporters and my car was stopped. I was not allowed to reach the shop and meet the family. The shopowner's son had to come out and meet me," Kejriwal said.

Shortly after Kejriwal announced his plan to visit Nangloi Jat, Delhi Police's Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order, Zone II) Madhup Kumar Tewari said in a video statement that a clip of the shooting incident circulating on social media was two months old.

The accused behind the firing incident were nabbed and the shopkeeper is also satisfied with the police action. He was given proper security, the officer added.

With assembly polls due in February, AAP and the BJP have been at loggerheads over Delhi's law and order. PTI MHS SZM SZM