Can't understand LG's reluctance to admit Delhi law and order needs urgent improvement: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday wrote to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena accusing him of ''reluctance'' in admitting that the law and order situation in the national capital needs urgent improvement.

In his letter, Kejriwal also said that four murders have taken place in a single day in the national capital, a few weeks before the city hosts the G-20 summit.

The letter came a day after Saxena wrote to Kejriwal, cautioning him against ''politicising crime'' and saying that it provides no solution at all.

Kejriwal wrote in the latest letter, ''In normal course, I would have not decided to write back again, but the contents of your response has left me with no option but to let the people of Delhi know that those directly responsible for ensuring the safety and security of their lives have no concrete solution, and are merely passing the buck.'' He also slammed the Ministry of Home Affairs. ''Sir, it is easy to term an extremely serious issue directly concerning the safety of lives and properties of over two crore residents of Delhi as being ''politicised'', but your response did not offer even a single effective step being considered by political bosses of Delhi Police -- Ministry of Home Affairs and Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor of Delhi -- to assure Delhiites that there is somebody to care for their safety,” the letter read. Kejriwal said he ''fails to understand the LG's reluctance to admit that the law and order situation in Delhi needs to be urgently improved''.

He emphasised that the contents of the LG's response ''demonstrated a lack of concrete solutions'' and a tendency to shift responsibility.

The CM also said the LG may be ''relatively new to Delhi and may not be fully aware of the ground reality''.

The ''alarming rise'' in serious crimes cannot be treated as business as usual, especially by a ''Constitutional functionary whose primary duty is to maintain law and order in Delhi'', he said.

''The urge to steal credit for the works of the elected government in a bid to please political masters has badly affected your constitutionally mandated primary work, which is to maintain law and order in Delhi,'' the letter stated.

In his letter to Kejriwal on Tuesday, the LG had said ''politicizing crime...does subject the victim and their family to avoidable agony, apart from encouraging crime''.

''In this regard, I am sure, that the issue of an unfortunate rape in 2012 raised by you to politically target the then Chief Minister, will serve as an eye opener and conscience knocker for you,'' he said.

Responding to the reference made by the LG to the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case, Kejriwal highlighted the significant public outrage that followed, leading to a revamp of criminal laws to provide effective deterrents against crimes against women. He questioned whether the current Centre government has the'' sensitivity to introduce fresh measures to address the recent surge in serious crimes in Delhi''. The CM also raised concerns about the ''misuse'' of the Delhi Police as a tool to serve the interests of political masters, and cited examples.

''It took many months of protest by medal winning wrestlers and directions of Supreme Court to even register the FIR in the case of sexual harassment. This reflected badly on the political masters of Delhi Police, certainly, affected the confidence of women in Delhi on its police. ''Delhi Police did not use force against medal winning wrestlers at Jantar Mantar on its own, nor does it suppress peaceful protests without political orders,'' the letter read.

He shared he received reports indicating a severe shortage of manpower in police stations.

Several police stations are operating at only 35 per cent to 40 per cent of their sanctioned strength, severely limiting their ability to maintain law and order, he claimed. ''Solution lies in giving priority to the needs of Delhi Police, increasing its strength and ensuring its engagement with the residents to make Delhi safe and secure,'' the CM wrote.