Cong targets AAP and BJP for making Delhi a ‘hub of crime activities’

New Delhi: Congress on Tuesday criticised both BJP and AAP for allegedly transforming Delhi into a hub of criminal activities, noting a surge in crime cases from 80,000 to 3,00,000 over the past decade.

Supriya Shrinate , who heads Congress' social media division, pointed out at a press conference that the local law enforcement agencies appeared more focused on harassing the underprivileged and conducting raids. Yet, neither BJP nor AAP has chosen to address this significant concern, she alleged. "When Congress comes to power in Delhi, law and order will be a priority issue to be tackled on a war footing," she claimed.

"In 2013, 80,184 criminal cases were filed in Delhi, the crime graph almost trebled, with 3,00,429 cases being registered by 2024. Yet crime was not an issue for AAP and BJP in Delhi Assembly elections," Shrinate said. Calling it startling, Shrinate said Delhi's crime rate was 134% compared to the national average of 36.6%.

"According to National Crime Records Bureau, women face two assaults every hour and 40 in a day. From 2014 to 2024, there was an increase of 17,956 rape cases, and 44,302 kidnapping and abduction cases. The shocking fact is that in 28 states across the country, 2,35,681 people became the target of thieves in a year, while in Delhi alone, the count was 2,95,528," she said.

Shrinate said that though Kejriwal washed his hands of the worsening law and order situation, saying Delhi Police was not under him, he frequently met lieutenant governor when he wanted to take up some personal issues. "We fail to understand why he keeps mum on the worsening law and order situation. Union home minister Amit Shah, on the other hand, uses police to lathicharge the anganwadi and Asha workers and water cannons on the youths protesting against unemployment," she alleged.

Delhi, she said, was known as ‘Dil Walon ki Dilli', where people from all parts of the country come to make their own identity, but for the past 11 years, law and order has deteriorated under the very nose of Modi govt at Centre and Kejriwal govt in Delhi.

"When a Dalit girl was assaulted and Rahul Gandhi rushed to the home of the poor woman, AAP and BJP did not bother. Kejriwal made a big noise about the Nirbhaya case, though the then Congress govts in Delhi and at Centre spared no effort to provide her the best possible medical care," she claimed.

AAP and BJP didn't comment on the allegations.