Delhi High Court on Friday reprimanded the Government of India (GoI) for installing 15,000 CCTV cameras within weeks for US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit (Jan 26), but “failing to act fast” when it comes to meet the needs of Indian citizens.
“So let’s get someone from outer space,” a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva commented. The bench was hearing an application seeking that the cameras being put up for the American President’s security should not be removed after the event in light of several incidents like the Nirbhaya (December 16, 2013) gangrape case.
“Because of a foreign President you (government) do it, but not for Indian citizens. If we direct you to do it for Indians, you do in months and years, else you do it in weeks. Let’s get someone from outer space,” the bench said.
“In the light of the Nirbhaya case, it is evident that the law and order situation in Delhi demands that these cameras (being installed for US president’s arrival) should not be removed from some strategic places like the entry and exit points of the capital and other places mapped as the high crime rate zones here,” application said.
It also alleged that despite the high court’s earlier direction to the government to install CCTV camera across the capital for tracking rape cases and keeping vigil, the same has not been followed. “Had the cameras been installed at the required places, the Nirbhaya case and other the unfortunate incidents of similar nature might have been avoided or tracked easily,” the application alleged.
The application was filed by advocate Meera Bhatia. Delhi High Court issued notices to the Centre, Delhi government, city police and asked their responses by Jan 30.