AAP says ‘law & order failing’, Bassi to meet Arvind Kejriwal today

Leaders said the party will continue “raising the issue” of the lack of accountability of the Delhi Police, given that it answers to the Central government.

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At the protest outside the police headquarters on Sunday morning, led by the party’s youth and women’s wing, police had to resort to water cannons to disperse the crowd. They also detained several party volunteers.

Later in the evening, the party organised a candlelight protest at Jantar Mantar with leaders Dilip Pandey, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Durgesh Pathak leading the protesters. Pointing out to police’s negligence in the Anand Parbat case, the leaders hit out at the police and even called it the “Modi Police”.

Also Read: ‘Devote time to Delhi Police or hand over its charge to us’

With battlelines hardening between police and the AAP, leaders said the point that must be reiterated is that “police is under an organisation that has no accountability to the people of Delhi”. “The party will drill in the point that either the Prime Minister and his cabinet take routine meetings and give time to law and order in Delhi, or it must be handed over to the Delhi government. One or the other has to happen,” a senior leader said.

While many are sceptical of the Central government actually giving the state control over police, some are of the view that protests are essential to “avoid a similarity” with the Congress’ “helplessness in curbing crime”.

“Whenever a big crime incident is reported in the city, the Congress would blame it on the Centre and the Delhi Police. While the situation is the same for us, at this point, we must be seen as attempting to change that scenario and bring the police under the Delhi government,” a leader said.

Will dispel misconceptions about police at meeting, says police chief

While Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called for a meeting with Delhi Police Commissioner
B S Bassi on Monday to discuss law and order situation in the capital, Bassi said he would try to dispel “misconceptions” about the functioning of the police force during the meeting.

“I will definitely go and meet him. We will exchange our thoughts… As a professional police officer, it is my duty to remove any misconceptions about policing.

I have a good opportunity at the meeting to do so,” Bassi said.

Bassi also said that he is open to criticism. “It is the responsibility of police to collaborate and work with people of every class… Since a request has been received from the Chief Minister’s Office by the principal secretary, I will definitely go and meet him,” he said. (ENS)