'Cut VIP security to provide safety to common people'

Urging people to maintain peace, Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit said the govt should be committed to providing security to people, even if they have to cut VIP security

Appealing to the citizens to maintain peace, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit yesterday said the government should be committed to providing security to the people, even if they have to cut VIP security.

“I want to emphasise, even if there is need to cut VIP security, it should be done,” Dikshit said after coming out of a meeting with union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

“You find very often the excuse is that there are so many VIPs so we cannot look after ordinary citizens,” she said. Dikshit appeared critical of the Delhi Police over the December 16 incident — when six males raped the young woman for 40 minutes in a moving bus — saying suspending some constables was not enough. “People should be sensitised and police should also be sensitised. Police should be more sensitive and accountable,” she said.

“It is very sad you announced you suspend few cops, but as long as senior officers don’t take responsibility, police cannot gain people’s confidence,” she added.u00a0Dikshit also said that her government has advocated death sentence for culprits in the Delhi rape case. “We don’t say across the board death sentence should be given to rapists. It should invoke death sentence or life imprisonment if the cases are like this,” she said.

“We decided this and went to home minister... he said he would look into it and also set a judicial inquiry on how such incident happened,” she said.

The chief minister also asked the home minister to instruct Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna and his ministry to have no lapses in maintaining security.

As law and order in Delhi is under the central home ministry, the LG is responsible for its implementation. The chief minister urged people to maintain peace. “People must bring in calm and peace before any worthwhile step forward can be taken. Therefore we appeal there should be peace,” Dikshit said.

PM on Twitter
We are all joined in our concern for the young woman who was the victim of a heinous crime in Delhi. There is genuine and justified anger and anguish at this ghastly incident. We are constantly monitoring her medical condition. Let us all pray for her and her loved ones during this critical time. I feel deeply sad at the turn of events leading to clashes between protesters and police forces. I appeal to all concerned citizens to maintain peace and calm. I assure you that we will make all possible efforts to ensure security and safety to all women in this country. I seek the cooperation of all sections of the society to help us in this endeavour and maintain peace.

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