Kejriwal to set up panel on crimes against women

Will set up a Commission of Enquiry to probe prominent cases of crimes against women

Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party government is again on a collision course with the Centre, this time over police failure in ensuring security for women in the city.  The Arvind Kejriwal-led government, which had made women’s security a poll plank, has decided to set up a commission to probe crimes against women in the capital where the police have failed to take any action.

Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi and Kejriwal have had frequent run-ins, with the government claiming the police, which reports to the Union home ministry, is acting as a handmaiden of the Centre. Bassi has been reported as saying it would be unfortunate if the Delhi Police had to ever report to the state government. A special one-day session of the assembly was called today to pass a resolution to set up the commission, but the House was adjourned after condoling the death of former President A P J Abdul Kalam.

The AAP government has for some time now been accusing the Delhi Police of laxity. Soon after a 19-year-old girl was publicly stabbed to death this month, Kejriwal demanded control over the police.

The AAP government has used its strength in the Assembly to pass a resolution to set up the commission to probe cases of sexual harassment in which the police have not taken action despite a stringent anti-rape law that came into force in February 2013.

The fact that Kejriwal recently met senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani soon after accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of neglecting Delhi has also raised eyebrows. The Delhi chief minister has repeatedly demanded the police share details about postings of its officers and status of cases. At the last such interaction between Bassi and Kejriwal, the commissioner refused to share the information with the government. Lt Governor Najeeb Jung has routinely been at loggerheads with Kejriwal over administrative matters and also over over appointment of Delhi Police officers to the Anti-Corruption Branch.