Kejriwal Criticizes BJP Government Over Rising Crime In Delhi

On Thursday, AAP National Convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal slammed the BJP-led Central government and Home Minister Amit Shah for the worsening law and order situation in the national capital, accusing them of failing to control rising gang wars and a surge in murders.

During a press conference, Kejriwal stated “Over the past year-and-a-half, law and order in Delhi has collapsed. Businessmen are getting extortion calls, women are facing eve-teasing and there is a spurt in murders, making Delhi one of the most unsafe cities to live in.”

In response to remarks calling Delhi the ‘rape capital of the world’, Kejriwal shared crime statistics, revealing that 501 murders wer reported in the city in 2022, one of the highest figures in recent years.

“In the last three months, at least 20 people were killed in gang wars in the trans-Yamuna area,” he said.

Additionally, he reiterated that while his government had worked on improving healthcare and power supply in Delhi, the responsibility for law and order lies with the Central government and the Delhi Police, which is under the control of Home Minister Amit Shah.

Kejriwal remarked, “The BJP coined the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ slogan. We have opened schools for enabling girls’ education, now it is their turn to provide security and save the girls.”

Targeting Home Minister Shah over the ‘uncontrolled’ crime in Delhi, Kejriwal further stated, “These crimes are taking place within a 20-km radius of Shah’s home. How will he provide security in the entire country when he is unable to stop crimes close to his home in Delhi?”

Kejriwal Highlights Crimes Near Shah’s Home In Central Delhi

Kejriwal pointed to several recent crimes near Home Minister Shah’s residence in central Delhi, including:

• The murder of a police constable in Govindpuri on 28 November,
• The killing of two gangsters in a gang war in Farsh Bazar on 31 October,
• A woman’s rape in Karol Bagh on 21 October, and
• The shooting death of a gym owner in Greater Kailash on 14 September

All these incidents occurred within 14 kilometers of Amit Shah’s home.

“Is Amit Shah willing to admit that he is unable to control crime in Delhi?” Kejriwal questioned.

Sharing the problems of Delhiites, Kejriwal asserted, “Women and businessmen are most impacted by the lawlessness. In the past one year, about 160 extortion calls have been made to businessmen. About 70 to 80 per cent people don’t even report the matter to the police.”

“If businessmen don’t pay up, gangsters target them by firing gunshots outside their homes or establishments to scare them,” he further added.

“Doing business in Delhi is becoming unsafe. This is also forcing businessmen to shift out of Delhi,” asserted Kejriwal, while unveiling a map of Delhi showing the proximity of crime scenes to Home Minister Shah’s residence in central Delhi.

This latest attack on the Central government comes just ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, expected in February, and seems aimed at highlighting the alleged failures of the BJP-led government in addressing the needs of people in the capital.

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