The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday demanded the resignation of Lieutenant-Governor V. K. Saxena over the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the national capital.
AAP’s demand comes two days after a purported video of a group of men firing shots outside a club in east Delhi’s Seemapuri went viral on social media. In the video, believed to have been shot on Saturday night, the assailants can be seen aiming their firearms at a few of the club’s employees, including a woman, forcing them to kneel and firing shots in the air. A 30-year-old man has been arrested in the case and a hunt is on to nab two others, the police said.
Addressing a press conference, AAP’s chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar accused the L-G of failing to protect the city residents, claiming “crimes are being committed with impunity” while referring to the Seemapuri case.
Unlike other full-fledged States, in Delhi, the police come under the L-G’s ambit.
When reached for comment, Raj Niwas did not respond.
Ms. Kakkar said the “brazen” attack in Seemapuri was not an isolated case. She recounted the July 15 GTB Hospital shooting incident, where a patient was shot dead in the medical facility by members of a gang in broad daylight.
“You must also remember that on June 26 last year, four motorcycle-borne youths surrounded a car in the Pragati Maidan tunnel and looted it during the day. Ever since the L-G has taken over the responsibility of law and order, the condition in the city has gone from bad to worse,” said AAP’s chief spokesperson.
Questioning the L-G’s competence in checking the “rising” crime rate, Ms. Kakkar asked what steps had Mr. Saxena taken regarding police reforms and how many additional PCR vans had he provided to the force.
“How many times did he call the Police Commissioner and hold meetings with him? We don’t know. However, the NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) figures clearly show that Saxena has been the most incompetent L-G of Delhi,” she said.
Published - September 10, 2024 12:36 am IST
