Amit Shah Says Delhi Police Lives Up To Vallabhbhai Patel's Advice Of 'Calm' As Jamia Video Shows Otherwise

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Delhi Police had lived up to Sardar Valllabhai’s Vallabhbhai Patel’s advice of remaining “calm” despite “provocation” while dealing with miscreants with a “firm hand”.

Shah was speaking at the 73rd Raising Day ceremony of the Delhi Police when he called it one of the leading metropolitan police forces in the country and the world which has foiled attempts to create disturbance without fail.

Shah’s comments come in the wake of a series of incidents in the capital where the Delhi Police has been accused of either gross brutality or sheer apathy.

The home minister’s statement stood in stark contrast to Delhi Police action seen in the CCTV footage released by the Jamia Coordination Committee on Sunday which showed paramilitary and police personnel beating up students inside the library in Jamia Milia Islamia on December 15.

The university confirmed to the Indian Express that footage was from its library, but refused to comment on the video.

The Delhi Police had in December denied entering the library.

Last week, students of the all-women Gargi College alleged that the Delhi Police did nothing after a group of men broke into college during its festival ‘Reverie’ and groped, harassed and molested the students. The students said that Rapid Action Force and Delhi Police personnel were deployed close to the gate from where the men entered.

On February 10, the Delhi Police was seen lathicharging Jamia protesters who were taking out a march to the Parliament against the CAA and NRC on February 10. Several students were injured and women said the police hit their private parts.

In his speech on Sunday, Shah cited a 1950 speech by India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and said, “Despite all the anger and provocation, Delhi Police should remain calm but it should also be ready to deal with the miscreants with firm hands to protect the people.”

“I believe, on many occasions, the Delhi Police has lived up to this advice of Saradar Patel,” the home minister said.

He lauded the force for helping the government on occasions like celebrations of Independence Day and Republic Day, festivals and visits by foreign dignitaries.

 Shah claimed that while constructive criticism of the police was always welcome, one must keep in mind more than 35,000 police personnel had laid down their lives on the line of duty.

Shah said that under the Delhi Safe City Project, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 857 crore for the safety and security of the capital city.

As many as 10,000 CCTV cameras have been set up in the area covered by 165 police stations and the home ministry has sanctioned 9,300 more to ensure the safety of women in the city, he said.

(With PTI inputs)