More than a century and a half in the past, Delhi Police registered its first ever First Information Report (FIR) for stolen items. That FIR, registered on October 18, 1861 was a couple of stolen hookah (smoking pipe), cooking vessels, and kulfi.

To the courageous residents of at present’s Delhi, it may appear comical that an FIR was registered over stolen hookah and kulfi. The reality is that our metropolis has crime flourishing on the streets. For the capital of the mom of democracy, enhance in crime charge doesn’t assist the case to enhance town’s picture as a part of preparations for the G20 summit.

For every other state or metropolis in India, it’s not too tough to repair the accountability for crime charge. Usually in such circumstances the buck stops on the Police Commissioner, Home Minister or in some circumstances, the Chief Minister. But accountability for crimes eludes the folks of Delhi, because the elected Chief Minister doesn’t management Delhi Police. Instead, it is the Union government-appointed Lieutenant Governor who heads town’s police pressure. This is a peculiar association for any capital metropolis of the world, it defies logic and places public security at nice danger at the price of misplaced priorities.

This 12 months began on an ominous observe, with horrific visuals of a younger lady being dragged below a automotive for over 12 kilometers in North Delhi whereas PCR vans with “Always At Your Service” stickers had been lacking in motion.

Six months since that incident, two extra ladies had been killed by 15-armed males, and a youngster was stabbed to dying exterior his school. Newspapers, TV and social media are abuzz with CCTV and cell digicam footage from the crime scenes. Ordinary residents, longtime residents of town are petrified of stepping out of their properties. Some are even contemplating leaving town for safer areas in India or overseas.

The central elements of town, the popular residential districts for powers that be, get pleasure from better police safety than bizarre residents dwelling elsewhere. While PCR vans and beat employees are largely lacking when criminals strike, one wouldn’t miss their proactive presence when roads must be cordoned off for VIP motion. This scheme of disproportionate useful resource allocation and lack of any accountability in direction of the folks of Delhi make town’s police pressure apathetic to the considerations of Delhiites. The Union authorities appointed Lt Governor controls legislation and order in Delhi however the information and scenes on the streets make it apparent that he’s failing at his job.

Lt Governor Vinai Chandrabhushan Saxena began his tenure claiming to be the “local guardian for the people of Delhi”. However, his guardianship has proved to be deadly for harmless residents of town who misplaced their lives within the absence of satisfactory police safety.

After daylight murders within the capital, it will not be misplaced to no less than count on a radical evaluate of the legislation and order state of affairs in Delhi by the Union Home Minister and the Lt Governor. Yet, there aren’t any such indicators both from the North Block or the Raj Niwas, leaving folks of Delhi to fend for themselves and fear for his or her close to and expensive ones.

It is felony to commit any crime, however it’s a better crime and sin to let criminals flourish below the callous watch of the native guardian. This is strictly what the Lt Governor has been doing by deprioritising the security of individuals of Delhi. He has not held any complete evaluate of the legislation and order state of affairs, nor transferred or punished any erring police official.

While reviewing town’s legislation and order state of affairs may not curiosity the Lt Governor, he does take a eager curiosity in adorning town for G20 to the extent of even suggesting which flowers are to be planted alongside the street from airport. Recently, the Lt Governor, in a fashion unbecoming of a constitutional publish holder, hijacked the inauguration ceremony of a state college. These incidents aren’t remoted, because the Lt Governor spends extra time in creating friction with the elected Delhi authorities. At this juncture, it will be sensible to remind the unelected ‘native guardian’ that he should comply with the constitutional duties assigned to him. Delhi can’t be allowed to show into the crime capital of India and the duty for guaranteeing this lies with the Lt Governor.

This distressing state of affairs is a direct results of the Lt Governor’s prioritisation of political pursuits over the well-being of the general public, a blatant betrayal of his constitutional obligations. Delhi Police must be made accountable to the folks of Delhi, it must work in shut coordination with the elected representatives to allay the concern amongst folks. Police useful resource allocation, when it comes to personnel and PCR vans, should change to serving the folks as a substitute of already protected VIPs.

The distinctive administrative set-up of Delhi outcomes from its standing because the nationwide capital. But opposite to constitutional aspirations, the security and well-being of the folks of Delhi has grow to be a casualty of this peculiar system. Lack of democratic accountability has for lengthy plagued Delhi Police, and it’s disheartening to listen to of town being dubbed because the crime capital. The restricted space of competence granted to the Lt Governor, of land, police and public order, ought to have been a possibility for him to make sure security within the nationwide capital, and never perpetuate this disheartening cycle of negligence.

Undoubtedly, it’s time to demand folks’s guardianship, fairly than the guardianship of an unelected Lt Governor, to make sure accountability of the police and to make Delhi a safer and happier metropolis.

(Reena Gupta is an advocate and nationwide spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party)

Disclaimer: These are the non-public opinions of the creator.