Delhi Police capable, but it gets orders from above not to take any action: Kejriwal

PTI, Jan 8, 2020, 11:12 AM IST

New Delhi: The Delhi Police is capable of maintaining law and order but it gets orders from above to “just stand there and not take any action”, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday, referring to the recent violence at JNU and Jamia Millia University.

Addressing the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) seventh “town hall” meeting in the run-up to the February 8 Delhi Assembly polls, Kejriwal wondered with what confidence would students go to universities now.

He also accused the Centre of giving orders to the Delhi Police not to take any action. The town hall meeting was organized by the AAP and moderated by anchors of television news channel “Aaj Tak”.

Responding to a question on the recent violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia University here, Kejriwal said, “I am very worried. The way violence is happening in universities, it is not good. Children go to universities to study. The way students were attacked inside Jamia, in JNU, the violence that happened, I am very worried.”

“With what confidence will children go to universities? I had immediately talked to LG sir and he assured me that he would inquire into it. There should be no violence in universities and colleges. Whatever must be done on this, everyone should do it together,” he added.

Hitting out at the Centre, the AAP supremo said the Delhi Police is capable, but orders are given to them from above to “just stand there and not take any action”.

He said the Delhi Police should be given two days and he will show how law and order must be maintained.

Violence broke out at JNU on Sunday night as masked men, armed with sticks and rods, attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in the police which conducted a flag march.

The Jamia Millia Islamia University turned into a battlefield last month after police and students, who wanted to march to Parliament to protest against the amended Citizenship Act, clashed with each other.