Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Slamming the Delhi Police commissioner, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that he should quit if he cannot provide security for the Jan Lokpal session scheduled to start from Sunday at the Indira Gandhi Indoor stadium.
“Delhi Police chief should resign if he can`t provide security to MLAs for the open session,” Kejriwal said.
According to news report, Kejriwal today wrote a letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, asking as to why the Delhi Police could not provide security for the proposed session.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief wrote, “Why can`t cops provide security for special IGI session?”
"It is the prime duty of the Delhi Police to ensure the safety of the people and if the Police Commissioner considers himself incompetent in doing so, should he continue to be in his post?" said a press statement released by the Chief Minister`s office.
The press release stated that in his reply to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, Chief Minister has expressed surprise over the stand of the Delhi Police.
"The CM has stated that it is surprising to note that the police is expressing its inability to provide protection to the ministers and MLAs and in such a scenario if police cannot provide security in one stadium how can it be expected to keep the entire city safe?," read the statement, as quoted by PTI.
The release said that it was the decision of the Delhi cabinet to hold a special session of the assembly in the open on February 16 and in case the Delhi Police finds itself incompetent to provide security for it, then adequate paramilitary forces and other forces should be sought from the Central Government for this.
Najeeb Jung had asked Arvind Kejriwal earlier today to reconsider the public session because of "law and order and the sanctity of assembly proceedings."
However, an adamant Kejriwal wants that the anti-graft Jan Lokpal Bill must be discussed by Delhi law-makers.
Meanwhile, the Home Ministry today referred to Law Ministry the request by Delhi CM seeking withdrawal of a 12-year-old order that makes it mandatory for Delhi government to send all Bills to the Centre before their tabling in the Assembly.
Officials said that Home Ministry has requested Law Ministry to examine the 2002 order and give its opinion on whether the directive could be withdrawn.
The Chief Minister has been maintaining that he would table the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly without taking any permission from the Home Ministry and termed the directive as "unconstitutional".
Earlier on Friday, Kejriwal had written to Najeeb Jung saying central government`s clearance was not needed before tabling the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Assembly.
With PTI inputs
