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 few stolen hookah (smoking pipe), cooking vessels, and kulfi.

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

For every other state or metropolis in India, it’s not too troublesome to repair the accountability for crime fee. 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 individuals of Delhi, because the elected Chief Minister doesn’t management Delhi Police. Instead, it is the Union government-appointed Lieutenant Governor who heads the 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 yr began on an ominous notice, with horrific visuals of a younger lady being dragged below a automobile for over 12 kilometers in North Delhi whereas PCR vans with “Always At Your Service” stickers have been lacking in motion.

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

The central components of the town, the popular residential districts for powers that be, take pleasure in larger police safety than atypical residents residing elsewhere. While PCR vans and beat employees are principally 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 the direction of the individuals of Delhi make the town’s police pressure apathetic to the issues of Delhiites. The Union authorities appointed Lt Governor controls legislation and order in Delhi however the knowledge 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 the town who misplaced their lives within the absence of ample police safety.

After daylight murders within the capital, it might not be misplaced to no less than count on a radical assessment of the legislation and order scenario in Delhi by the Union Home Minister and the Lt Governor. Yet, there are not any such indicators both from the North Block or the Raj Niwas, leaving individuals 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 larger 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 protection of individuals of Delhi. He has not held any complete assessment of the legislation and order scenario, nor transferred or punished any erring police official.

While reviewing the town’s legislation and order scenario won’t curiosity the Lt Governor, he does take a eager curiosity in adorning the 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 way unbecoming of a constitutional put up holder, hijacked the inauguration ceremony of a state college. These incidents should not remoted, because the Lt Governor spends extra time in creating friction with the elected Delhi authorities. At this juncture, it might be smart to remind the unelected ‘native guardian’ that he should observe the constitutional duties assigned to him. Delhi can’t be allowed to show into the crime capital of India and the accountability 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 individuals of Delhi, it must work in shut coordination with the elected representatives to allay the worry amongst individuals. Police useful resource allocation, when it comes to personnel and PCR vans, should change to serving the individuals 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 protection and well-being of the individuals of Delhi has turn into a casualty of this peculiar system. Lack of democratic accountability has for lengthy plagued Delhi Police, and it’s disheartening to listen to of the 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 chance for him to make sure security within the nationwide capital, and never perpetuate this disheartening cycle of negligence.

Undoubtedly, it’s time to demand individuals’s guardianship, slightly 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 private opinions of the writer.