Fight between Kejriwal government, Delhi LG escalates over CCTV cameras

Pic courtesy: IANS

New Delhi: The fight between the Aam Aadmi Party​ (AAP) government and the Lt Governor escalated on Monday over the installation of CCTV cameras in Delhi. CM Arvind Kejriwal, his Cabinet ministers and MLAs sat on a dharna for over three hours near the LG office, asking him "not to stall" the project under "pressure from the BJP".

Kejriwal and his colleagues sat on dharna after the police officials deployed at LG Anil Baijal's office told the CM that he and his ministers can meet Baijal, but the AAP legislators will not be allowed to go with them. Shortly after, Kejriwal, his ministers, legislators and AAP supporters sat on a dharna barely 100 metres from Baijal's office in protest.

The dharna began around 3:30 pm and ended at 6:40 pm with Kejriwal vowing to reach out to people to tell them that the "BJP and the LG are disrupting the installation of CCTV cameras in the city".

"Our MLAs will hold meetings in their localities and tell people that the BJP and the LG are hampering installation of CCTV cameras and elicit their views on it. The standard operating procedure for installing CCTV cameras will be decided by the people, and not by a shahanshah (LG)," he said at the end of over three-hour long sit-in, PTI reported.

दिल्ली सरकार महिलाओं की सुरक्षा के लिए पूरी दिल्ली में CCTV कैमरे लगाने जा रही है।

भाजपा LG के ज़रिए इसको रोक रही है। दिल्ली के विधायकों और मंत्रियों के साथ हम LG साहेब को समझाने जा रहे हैं कि CCTV कैमरे मत रोको।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 14, 2018

हम LG साहेब से मिलने आए हैं, उन्हें समझाने के लिए। LG refuses to meet MLAs. Strange.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 14, 2018

If Hon’ble LG is reading this tweet, i wud urge him to meet us n discuss. जनतंत्र संवाद से चलता है, पुलिस से नहीं।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 14, 2018

NDMC was installing CCTV cameras in residential colonies for last 2 yrs. In view of LG’s committee, NDMC has also stopped further installation of cameras. Extremely unfortunate. Whatever gud work was gng on, all stopped. Dirty politics wid women safety pic.twitter.com/CzXgJwsG49

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 14, 2018

On his part, the Delhi LG said, "Despite agreeing to meet Arvind Kejriwal with his ministers and MP, although my yesterday's letter had clarified that no proposal for installation of CCTVs has been received nor I have issued any orders to stall/stop award of work, CM prefers to protest without reason."

Despite agreeing to meet Hon. CM @ArvindKejriwal with his Ministers & Hon. MP although my yesterday's letter had clarified that no proposal for installation of CCTVs has been recd nor I hv issued any orders to stall/stop award of work, Hon. CM prefers to "protest without reason".

— LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) May 14, 2018

To which Kejriwal replied:

It was not protest sir. We came 2 meet u wid prior intimation. We waited for 3 hrs on road. Unthinkable in a democracy that LG refuses to meet elected reps? LG has a duty. He MUST meet reps n public also. If no proposal for CCTV recd, then why did u set up committee? https://t.co/z2LkZQ4Lbe

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 14, 2018

Before sitting on the protest, the AAP leaders had taken out a march from Kejriwal's official residence in Civil Lines area to Baijal's office.

#LGDontStopCCTVs pic.twitter.com/orjOBESjO9

— Vikas Yogi (@vikaskyogi) May 14, 2018

Kejriwal, his ministerial colleagues including his deputy Manish Sisodia and PWD Minister Satyendar Jain, and AAP MLAs, began their march at 3 pm under heavy police security cover.

During the two-kilometre march, they raised slogans against the LG and the BJP. In its 2015 manifesto election, the AAP had promised to install at least 10 lakh CCTV cameras in the city for the security of women.

The ruling dispensation in Delhi has been opposing the LG-appointed committee constituted for preparing a common framework for installation and monitoring of CCTV cameras.

(With PTI inputs)