New Delhi, November 28: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a sharp attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of turning Delhi into the “gangster and extortion capital” of India.
Speaking to reporters, Kejriwal highlighted the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi, alleging a significant rise in gang violence, extortion threats to businessmen, and frequent shootings over the past two years. Drawing comparisons to the underworld dominance in Mumbai during the 1990s, he said, “In the last one to two years, the law and order in Delhi has deteriorated. We have heard about the underworld dominance in Mumbai during the 1990s with open shootouts. We did not imagine that Delhi would face a similar situation. Gangsters have captured Delhi, businessmen are receiving ransom calls, and firing incidents have become common.”
Kejriwal, who visited Nangloi to meet Roshan Lal, a businessman targeted in a shooting incident, alleged that the BJP actively prevented him from meeting the victim. “BJP has sent thousands of its people to stop me. I wasn’t allowed to meet him. Why is the BJP not allowing me to meet the victim? What are they trying to hide?” Kejriwal questioned.
Accusing Amit Shah of neglecting his responsibility, Kejriwal stated, “The law and order of Delhi is Amit Shah’s responsibility, and under him, the city has become a gangster and extortion capital. The people of Delhi trusted me with education, health, and electricity, and we delivered. However, the Centre, which controls Delhi Police, has failed to ensure the safety of Delhi’s residents.”
Responding to the accusations, Special CP (Law and Order) Madhup Tewari clarified that the Nangloi shooting incident took place two months ago and had been resolved promptly. “Delhi Police took quick action, arrested two individuals within a day, and recovered the weapons. I don’t understand why this resolved case is being brought up again,” he said.
According to police reports, on September 30, the Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested two sharpshooters from the Jitender-Gogi gang following a firing incident at a sweets shop in Nangloi. The assailants had attempted to extort money by firing shots and leaving extortion slips bearing photographs of deceased and jailed gangsters.
The accused, identified as Hari Om alias Lalla (27) and Jatin (21), were apprehended based on CCTV footage and manual inputs. Police recovered a semi-automatic pistol, a country-made firearm, and the motorcycle used in the crime.
Kejriwal’s remarks come amidst ongoing political tensions between the AAP and BJP, with both parties trading barbs over governance and public safety in the national capital.