Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has ordered state-run Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to immediately withdraw buses that it had provided on ‘Special Hire’ to the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces deployed at the Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur border areas. The protestors, mainly from Punjab, have blocked roads to Delhi since past more than 70 days causing massive inconvenience to the public.
.#Delhi government has decided to recall all buses it has provided on Special Hire, with immediate effect, to the #DelhiPolice & paramilitary forces deployed at #FarmerProtests sites; email with directions sent to all DTC Depots: DTC Karamchari Ekta Union pic.twitter.com/fRLn9CrPyf
— Jatin Anand (@JatinPaul) February 3, 2021
Following the orders from the AAP govt, DTC has asked the concerned departments to relieve the buses that were currently being used by them. Almost 550 DTC buses were being used for the movement of police and paramilitary personnel for deployment in various parts of the city.
The email issued from the Department to DTC stated: “It has been decided by the Competent Authority to withdraw all buses deployed on Special Hire with immediate effect. It is therefore requested to relieve buses immediately and any further requisition of buses shall be considered after the approval of the Competent Authority.”
The DTC authorities maintained that the approval of the Delhi government was a must for the requisition of buses under special hire.
Reportedly, Delhi’s Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot had asked DTC to submit a report on its working. He had opined that so many buses were not required to be given to the Delhi police. Following the report submitted by DTC, Gehlot had ordered the withdrawal of buses on Delhi police’s duty with immediate effect.
Arvind Kejriwal Government’s prejudice against Delhi police
For the uninitiated, Delhi Police comes under the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry. Kejriwal government has earlier too, shown least respect towards the Delhi police. Earlier during the beginning of agitation, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj had claimed that after Delhi Chief Minister returned from meeting the farmers at Singhu border, Delhi Police put up barricades around his house creating a ‘house arrest’ like situation. This claim was later debunked by Delhi police.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Kapil Mishra slammed Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for issuing such an unfair direction and demanded to know why he was committing such a crime. The BJP leader noted that injustice was done to the personnel of the Delhi Police and CRPF who protected the national capital.
Kejriwal deploys his ministers ‘to provide facilities’ to ‘farmers’
While Arvind Kejriwal Govt acts against Delhi police, it has anxiously supported by sponsoring the protestors who have laid siege to Delhi over last 70 days. From providing free WiFi (which he had promised Delhi residents but never fulfilled) to potable water to toilets, the AAP government has done everything to ensure that the ‘farmers’ comfortably continue to cause more inconvenience to the public od Delhi.