Congress’ Ajay Maken gives Arvind Kejriwal 5-point advice on Delhi clashes

Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken also advised the Delhi CM to set up a hotline with the Lt Governor and speak with him every hour to take stock of the situation.

As Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted appeals for action to put an end to the violence in parts of east Delhi that killed 4 people on Monday, senior Congress leader Ajay Maken told the Aam Aadmi Party boss not to “appear helpless” since Delhi Police does not report to the Chief Minister in Delhi but the Union Home Ministry via the Lieutenant Governor.

Delhi Police flag march at Jaffrabad in New Delhi, Feb 24, 2020 (Sanjeev Verma / HT Photo)

Maken listed six things that Kejriwal could do.

“As a CM, please do not appear to be helpless. This would badly erode a much needed credibility of our democratic institutions to protect atrocity/violence against innocent citizens,” tweeted Ajay Maken, who was the junior minister for home affairs at the Centre before being elevated as cabinet minister in the previous Manmohan Singh government.

Maken did not elaborate but some others did dig out Arvind Kejriwal’s 2013 tweet when he had taken a dig at the then chief minister Sheila Dikshit for pointing out the police did not report to her against the backdrop of crimes against women. “Do we want such a helpless CM? Kejriwal had then asked.

Maken steered clear of the effort and went ahead to list what he thought the chief minister could do. “Take a lead and don’t sit back blaming others,” Maken said, convinced that if Kejriwal took the steps that he was suggesting, “you would always be remembered as a Chief Minister who rose up to the occasion”.

Maken also advised the chief minister to set up a hotline with the Lt Governor and speak with him every hour to take stock of the situation.

“Immediately form peace committees in all troubled areas comprising important social influencers from the same areas,.including elected MLAs, Councillors, DC of the District (Directly under Delhi Govt.), local SHO & SDM. Make each Minister of your Cabinet in charge of such Committees and ask them to hit the ground,” the Congress leader said.

Maken also called for an all-party meeting immediately to take suggestions from political parties on how to restore normalcy in troubled areas of Delhi