In her first interview after a series of crimes against women in the capital in recent days, including gang rapes, chief minister Rekha Gupta has admitted to lapses and vowed to improve the security infrastructure to prevent such incidents in the future.
Yes, there were 11 challans. We want 100% results. We work in the hope that we get 100% results. After our govt assumed office, 1 lakh new lights were installed, which are connected to sensors.
And she also monitors the administration, so that there is no delay in the arrival of machinery,” she said. “I won’t say there is no responsibility.
When asked if no lessons had been learnt from that incident, and how a bus that travelled 47km was not stopped even once as it passed through multiple checkpoints, Gupta said: “Definitely, there was a mistake… I have even said that on any bus, the driver or conductor, even if he is from a private agency, his entire police record should be checked. When asked about the gang rape of a minor at Aastha Kunj Park, Kalkaji, in south Delhi and subsequent protests, Gupta said: “Every incident that happens with a daughter or a woman, I try to immediately find out how it happened, what happened, and what are the things that need to be rectified or the work that the govt needs to do… All agencies should immediately secure such dark spots. When asked why registration of PGs was only taking place now, Gupta said: “It’s been a year-and-a-half since I became the CM. When such incidents happened earlier, how many times did the CM go and stand there and talk?” she said.
Speaking exclusively on a Times Now podcast, Gupta responded to criticism against her administration over the Satya Niketan building collapse, stating that prompt action was taken and that previous govts couldn’t shirk responsibility on the matter. The mass outrage led to the laws against rape being amended and made more stringent. The bus was not checked. After this incident, all agencies realised that no bus should be spared. Any person with a criminal record, whether he is driving a school bus, a private bus or a govt bus, should not be allowed. Everyone’s police verification is important. These things will be done stringently. She added: “It is not that we have not learnt. I can say that every incident that happens in this city is painful for all of us. And if I talk about myself, as a mother, as a woman, as a CM and as a society, when such an incident happens, we also face the same pain. And we try to make sure no such incident happens. Police forces work day and night. The entire administration and the system is involved. But if there is a single incident, it is painful for all of us. If any of these is damaged, the control room will get an alert immediately. And the agencies will reach there and rectify it. There is definitely a responsibility…. Delhi wasn’t built in a day. It came up over the years. Who were the govts then? Who was in the Nagar Nigam? Who was in Delhi govt?” she asked. Were there no govts before us? Why was it not done till date? Were there no incidents in Delhi before this? Was there no fire or did buildings not fall? Why were govts sleeping till date? Were they waiting for Rekha Gupta to come and do something? At least Rekha Gupta goes to that incident site and stands there for three hours. And she understands and feels the pain. “I did what other govts have not done. Delhi did not have an SDRF. When you need relief from somewhere immediately, you need forces that can handle that situation. Delhi did not have any force to do that work. After that incident, Delhi has its own SDRF. I can also ask, why didn’t the previous govts do this?
On the Satya Niketan building collapse that killed seven people, Gupta did not deny the state or the municipal administration’s responsibility, but also laid the blame on earlier govts.