New Delhi: AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday claimed that there is an atmosphere of panic in Delhi, questioning the role and priorities of Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena amidst rising law and order concerns.
He also announced that AAP leaders, including himself and MLA Durgesh Pathak, will meet the LG on Monday to demand immediate action on the city's deteriorating law and order situation.
Bharadwaj and Pathak visited the Naraina showroom on Sunday, where a recent firing incident had taken place. He claimed that there is a growing fear among residents and business owners due to these incidents.
"This is the main road area of Naraina, and such areas are at their busiest for business around 7:15 in the evening. At such a time, gangsters stormed into a showroom with weapons and fired 24 rounds. A gun was placed on the head of the person inside," Bharadwaj said during his visit.
"Tomorrow, we will meet the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi and present our demand, stating that this kind of hooliganism cannot continue," he added.
Pathak criticised alleged inaction by the police despite complaints filed by traders and pointed out that the showroom is only a few kilometres away from the prime minister's residence.
"This is the main road of Naraina, which connects West Delhi and New Delhi. The prime minister's residence is just about four kilometres away, and in the evening, this area sees a lot of foot traffic. Yet, 24 rounds were fired one after another at this showroom, out in the open," he said.
"For the past six months, they (traders) have been receiving ransom demands. They even filed a complaint with the police, but no action was taken, and no protection was provided. A complete state of chaos has emerged, and law and order have completely collapsed," Bharadwaj alleged.
Earlier in the day, Bharadwaj in a press conference demanded the LG to visit the firing site along with police commissioner and Home Minister Amit Shah.
He alleged there was an atmosphere of panic in the city, a situation which had never arisen before.
"There is an atmosphere of panic in Delhi today. I can say with full responsibility that such a situation has never existed in my Delhi before," Bharadwaj said.
Meanwhile, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, in a post on X said, "Law and order has collapsed in Delhi. There is complete jungle raj. People are feeling unsafe in the country's capital. Delhi's law and order comes under Amit Shah ji. He will have to take effective steps immediately." In the past few days, firing incidents targeting a second-hand luxury car showroom, a hotel and a sweet shop, were reported from different corners of the city with police suspecting that these incidents are related to extortion bids by gangs.
The AAP MLAs have also demanded a revival of police station-level monitoring committees to keep a check on such crimes.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)