Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Saxena on the rising incidence of extortion and firing in the national capital under his administration.
Bharadwaj’s criticism of the functioning of the LG came in the wake of three cases of shootout reported from the city on a single day on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, he claimed that the city has never seen such a law and order situation in the past. “Today, ask any businessman, he would tell you how 80 of the 100 businessmen in the city are the victims of extortion,” he said.
He claimed people are living in fear with the extortion gangs being active in Delhi.
Law and order in Delhi comes directly under the LG, who is accountable to the Union Home Ministry. But Bharadwaj complained the LG was not taking any interest in improving the law and order situation as he was busy commenting on the day-to-day functioning of the elected government of Delhi.
“There are 209 police stations in Delhi; the LG should inspect at least one station a day. Why is he not doing so? When it comes to PWD or MCD work, he visits their sites and clicks photos claiming that the work is done on his orders even though it comes under the Delhi government’s jurisdiction,” said Bharadwaj.
Citing a recent shootout in Narayana, Bharadwaj asked, “When will the LG visit Narayana, where bullets were fired inside a car showroom? In Gulabi Bargh, Rs 3.45 crore was looted from a businessman. Will the LG visit the place?”
Meanwhile, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal raised questions over the rising extortion cases in the city. In a post on social media platform X, he wrote, “Law and order has collapsed in Delhi. There is a complete jungle raj. People are feeling unsafe in the country’s capital. Delhi’s law and order comes under Amit Shah. He will have to take effective steps immediately”.