New Delhi, November 11 (IANS). Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj termed the appointment of bus marshals for four months as a big victory for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said that the Delhi government has done a lot of work for the safety of women.
Chief Minister Atishi said that marshals were installed in buses in 2015 to ensure that women do not face indecent behavior in buses. CCTV and panic buttons were installed. In 2023, BJP removed the bus marshals through its officials. AAP MLAs and workers fought on the streets for the bus marshals and in the end the BJP had to bow down to the struggle of AAP and the bus marshals. For one year, only marshals were fighting on the streets, our ministers and MLAs stayed with them and took the batons. In the end this struggle worked. The central government bowed down and these marshals are being appointed for 4 months. Due to the absence of these marshals, women and elderly people faced a lot of problems in the buses.
Atishi told that a cabinet meeting was held on Sunday, in which it was decided that the issue of bus marshals is a public order matter due to service and security. This does not come under Delhi Government, but under LG. When the Transport Department told this, all the ministers sent a proposal to the LG to appoint bus marshals in two shifts. It was also decided in the meeting that it may take 6 months for the LG to make a new proposal, but till then the safety of women cannot be compromised. Till then these 10 thousand bus marshals should be appointed.
She said that I hope that LG approves this proposal, so that marshals get employment and women get security.
Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that it was unanimously decided in the Delhi Assembly that on October 3, the bus will go to the Lieutenant Governor for the appointment of marshals. You MLAs and bus marshals kept waiting. But, BJP MLA did not come. The police had also used batons there. On October 5, Vijendra Gupta asked for an appointment with the Chief Minister and said that the Delhi government should pass the proposal and he will get it passed by the LG. We went to LG with Vijendra Gupta. He had said that the proposal would be passed in a week. But, it did not happen. After this, LG Sahib gave another slap and asked to send the proposal again.
Saurabh Bhardwaj said that the Transport Department official told that this is a services matter, then the Cabinet said that LG should make a policy on this. But, we know their way of working. It may take years. Therefore, keep working as you were doing before. Just reinstate the marshals immediately. Marshallese are very poor people. Many people have even committed suicide. Don’t do politics on these.
–IANS
PKT/ABM
