Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, blaming him for the rising crime in the national capital. Kejriwal accused Shah of focusing on elections while Delhi grapples with increasing lawlessness. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's remarks came after two murders were reported in the city on the same day.
Speaking to India Today, Kejriwal said, "Delhi's law and order is Amit Shah's responsibility, but he remains busy with elections. Delhi is under the control of gangsters, and while shooters are being arrested, the masterminds behind it are still at large."
The Delhi Police is under the jurisdiction of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, while Arvind Kejriwal's AAP governs the city.
Kejriwal's comments were in response to two recent murders—one involving a trader shot by bike-borne assailants during a morning walk in northeast Delhi's Shahdara, and another where a man was fatally stabbed in a brawl in south Delhi's Govindpuri.
"Delhi's law and order situation is in shambles. This morning, in Vishwas Nagar, Sunil Ji (Jain) was gunned down in broad daylight. How have criminals become so fearless?" Kejriwal asked.
The AAP chief said that he personally knows several businessmen who are leaving Delhi because of extortion calls.
"Women are unsafe in Delhi, rape and murder cases following rapes are being reported. The Delhi Police is failing to protect the residents of Delhi," Kejriwal claimed.
Kejriwal further stated, "Delhi voters entrusted us with the responsibility of fixing schools and hospitals. The only responsibility the voters gave to the BJP was law and order. Things have gone beyond their control."
Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj also accused the government of leaving residents, traders, women, and the elderly in constant fear. He highlighted ongoing issues such as gang wars, extortion threats, and shootings over unpaid debts.
The 52-year-old utensil trader, who was out for a morning walk, was shot dead in Shahdara by assailants who fired 7-8 rounds at him. Meanwhile, in Govindpuri, a man was killed and two others injured during a brawl between two groups over the cleanliness of a shared toilet