Fight over CCTV project intensifies; Kejri, Cabinet colleagues march to LG’s house

New Delhi, May 14

The fight between the AAP government and the Lt Governor over CCTV project intensified further on Monday as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Cabinet ministers and MLAs marched to the LG office to press him “not to stall” the project under “pressure from the BJP”.

Kejriwal, his ministerial colleagues, including Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and PWD Minister Satyendar Jain, and all AAP MLAs, began their march from the CM’s Civil Lines residence at 3 pm under heavy police security cover.

During the 2-km march, Kejriwal, ministers and MLAs raised slogans against the LG and BJP.

Before the protest, the Chief Minister attacked the BJP, alleging that it does not want the CCTV project to be executed which is why it is being stalled through LG Anil Baijal.

In its election manifesto, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had promised installation of at least 10 lakh CCTV cameras in the city for women security.

“The committee set up by the LG is very dangerous. The committee has been set up to stall CCTV project,” Kejriwal told reporters here.

The AAP dispensation has been opposing the LG-appointed committee constituted for preparing common framework for installation and monitoring of CCTV cameras.

On Sunday, Baijal wrote to Kejriwal, saying that it was “unfortunate” that the public and media were being “misled” on the issue “repeatedly and deliberately”.

Hours after Baijal’s letter, Kejriwal wrote back to the Lt Governor, seeking to know why he is “politicising” the issue of women safety.

Kejriwal had alleged that the Lt Governor had set up the committee “arbitrarily”, bypassing the elected government and sought to know why he is “violating” the Constitution.

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP termed the nearly three-hour 'dharna' by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his colleagues near Lt Governor Anil Baijal's office here a "drama" and demanded a probe into the alleged escalation of cost for installing CCTV cameras in the national capital.

Opposition leader in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta alleged that the "corrupt and frustrated" AAP government was "creating a drama" and demanded the L-G to order a probe by the anti-corruption branch into alleged scam in the project.

"The probe by ACB into the CCTV camera scam by Kejriwal government should find out how the cost of the project went up from Rs 130 crore in October 2015 to Rs 571 crore in January 2018, recording a hike of Rs 441 within a short span of two years and three months," Gupta alleged.- PTI