Arvind Kejriwal tears Lt Governor report, says will install CCTVs without police nod
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday tore a report on CCTVs prepared by a special committee constituted by the L-G and said that his government would start installing the cameras without a licence from the Delhi police.
Addressing a gathering of resident welfare and market welfare associations, along with other members of the public, Kejriwal said he would sign the file related to the installation of CCTV cameras on Monday morning.
From a makeshift dais of Indira Gandhi indoor stadium, the chief minister attacked the special committee formed by lieutenant governor Anil Baijal and tore a report prepared by it.
The report was consisted standard operating procedure for installation of CCTV cameras in the city.
According to Kejriwal, the report said that permission was required from the deputy commissioner of police (licensing) before installation of such cameras. “... it is the public who will decide where these cameras should come up. It is a democracy. The wish of the people should be respected. So tomorrow (Monday) I will write on the file that the public doesn’t want the condition of taking licence for CCTVs. We will start setting up cameras without any licence,” Kejriwal told the gathering.
The AAP government and the L-G’s office have been at loggerheads over the issue of installation of CCTVs. Baijal had on May 8 formed a high-level committee — principal secretary (home) as the committee’s chairperson — and asked the committee to draw up standard operating protocols and submit a report. Home minister Satyendar Jain had earlier dubbed Baijal’s decision to form the committee illegal.
Kejriwal’s entire Cabinet, with almost all AAP MLAs, attended Sunday’s meeting that was held at an almost-packed Indira Gandhi indoor stadium .
Hitting out at the L-G and the police, Kejriwal said that they had been trying to set up CCTVs for the last three years but the Centre had not let the elected government work. He added that after several protests in the past there was some progress on the issue and work to install 1.4 lakh cameras was to be awarded to a government company. But then the L-G formed a panel.
“You can see how the BJP, through the L-G and officers, have stalled the project. That panel’s report says that anyone setting up CCTV will have to seek a licence. They can’t even do proper policing and they talk about licencing..,” he said.
Kejriwal suggested that there should be a general body meeting of the RWAs in every locality in presence of the SHO and the people from the company (who will set up cameras) to decide where and how the CCTVs should be fixed. He said that CCTV recording should be given to the police, RWAs and the government for better results.
Speaking on the occasion deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said that all decisions of the AAP government were based on feedback from masses.
“If CCTVs are to be installed in a society or market then who should decide where to install? Should the people have this right or the DCP licensing? CCTV is necessary for safety and security of public,” Sisodia said.