PM acting as speed-breaker: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “speed-breaker” in the progress of the Delhi government and asked him to shed the “obstructionist” approach.  

Kejriwal also called top Delhi police officers “agents” of Modi as the state Assembly adopted a resolution to set up a panel to probe the “police inaction” in cases of crime against women.

“The one-day special session of the Assembly wouldn’t have been called if Delhi was safe for women,” Kejriwal said.

“The Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about ‘Cooperative Federalism’ but he is practising ‘Road Block’ federalism for Delhi government,” said Kejriwal, while speaking during a special session on ‘Security of Women’ in city summoned in the backdrop of brutal murder of 19-year-old Meenakshi. 

Kejriwal said his government was committed to women’s security and would soon bring a Bill to make the Capital safer for women.

The resolution, passed amid walkout by three BJP legislators, paves the way for a three-member commission of inquiry that will receive unheeded complaints on crimes such as violence, sexual harassment, stalking, voyeurism committed against women since February 2013. The move comes in the wake of <g data-gr-id="31">brutal</g> murder of Meenakshi in broad daylight at Anand Parbat area.

“In Delhi Police, officials in the lower rung are very brave and are doing very good work. Those who are sitting above have become the agents of Bharatiya Janata Party and Narendra Modi,” Kejriwal said, in an oblique reference to Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi.

He asked Modi to either make Delhi safer in six months or hand over the reins of Delhi Police to the AAP government.

“I want to politely tell Narendra Modi ji, either make Delhi safe for women in six months or give Delhi Police to us. We will make Delhi the safest place in the country,” Kejriwal said.

The terms of references of the panel, to be headed by a retired Judge, would also include suggesting necessary amendments to the relevant laws. It would also recommend whether any case of negligence or collusion is made out prima facie in the cases examined.

One of the terms of reference suggested by Kejriwal in the Assembly included <g data-gr-id="30">recommendation</g> of welfare measures for improving the working conditions of the foot soldiers in law enforcing agencies.