Kejriwal wants to give women power to shut liquor shops in city

Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said if elected his party will give women in the ‘rape capital’ the power to shut down liquor shops in their localities.

 “A woman told me that they have opened liquor shops in the residential areas. Maximum number of mishaps happens near these shops. If these women will pass a resolution and send it to the government, asking to shut down and relocate these shops then the government will have to agree to the proposal,” said Kejriwal, while addressing a rally on the ‘women’s issues’.

As a part of its Delhi Dialogue campaign — an initiative to connect with different segments of voters — the Aam Aadmi Party in the rally laid down its blueprint to ensure ‘justice, security and self-respect’ for women in Delhi.

The day also marked the second anniversary of the party’s formation, which formally came into being on November 26, 2012.  While reflecting on the achievements of his 49-day government Kejriwal said his party will cancel tickets of the candidates who are found involved cases of corruption or crime.

“We think that women safety can’t be assured till the time you include people like Nihal Chand in your cabinet – people who are rape accused,” he said. Following a court summon in June, pressure had mounted on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to remove the Union minister over the alleged rape.

If given a second term, the AAP promised voters that it will adopt a zero tolerance against molestation, eve-teasing and violence against women. The party has pitched for a women’s security force, surveillance web of CCTV cameras, one marshal on every Delhi Transport Corporation bus and 47 fast-track courts for crimes against women.

He said while he was in power, his government had asked the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court to have more courts to deal with the cases related to women harassment.

“When we have our government, we will ensure enough courts so that cases in which women are subjected to harassment, can be decided in six months,” he said.