Delhi CM, ministers, MLAs march to L-G office over CCTV project fight

New Delhi: The fight between the AAP government and the Lt Governor over the CCTV project intensified further on May 14 as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his cabinet ministers and MLAs marched to the L-G office to press him "not to stall" the project under "pressure from the BJP".

Kejriwal, his ministerial colleagues including his deputy 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 two-kilometre march, Kejriwal, ministers and MLAs raised slogans against the L-G 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 L-G 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 L-G is very dangerous. The committee has been set up to stall CCTV project," Kejriwal told reporters. The AAP dispensation has been opposing the LG-appointed committee constituted for preparing a common framework for installation and monitoring of CCTV cameras.

On May 13, 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.