Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah attended the 76th Raising Day celebrations of Delhi Police as the Chief Guest in New Delhi today. On this occasion, the Union Home Minister inaugurated the complete online facility of passport verification and also dedicated mobile forensic vehicles inducted in the Delhi Police to the people. Along with this, the Union Home Minister also inaugurated the academic complex of National Forensic Science University’s (NFSU) Delhi Campus. On this occasion many dignitaries including Union Home Secretary and Delhi Police Commissioner were also present.

In his address, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Minister said that with its glorious history since independence till date, Delhi Police has earned the praise of the entire country. He said that there are embassies of many countries and residences of very important persons in Delhi and the whole world praises Delhi Police's security system.

Shri Amit Shah said that the police and its work should have changed immediately after independence. He said that before independence, the work of the police did not include the value of service. The police work was to maintain internal security and law and order and mainly to protect the interests of the British rule. He said that after independence, Delhi Police moved forward with the principles of ‘Shanti, Sewa, Nyay’ and with this change in goal, Delhi Police has made a lot of changes in its works, activities and thoughts in this journey of 75 years. He said that recently the country and the world had gone through Covid-19 pandemic, at that time the human face of Delhi Police came in front of everyone, which changed its image in the country and the world. Delhi Policepersonnel took care of the old and sick people of Delhi during the Covid-19 pandemic, remained with them as their family members and protected them. Delhi Police’smany personnel themselves also got infected by Covid-19 and many personnel also lost their lives, but till the end of the Corona pandemic, the Delhi Police continued to fulfill its motto of ‘Shanti, Sewa, Nyay’.

The Union Home Minister said that today the facility of passport verification through mobile tablet has also been started, with this, police verification of passport application will be done online in 5 days instead of 15 days. He said that on an average 2000 applications for passports are received daily and now their online processing will reduce the problems faced by the people.

Shri Amit Shah said that Delhi Police has also received the mobile forensic vans, today. He said that in the coming days, Delhi Police will become the first police force in the country to investigate every crime punishable with 6 years and above by the visit of forensic team. He said that there is a great need to strengthen the judicial system of our country on the basis of forensic science evidence. Shri Shah said that when this vehicle, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and 14 different types of forensic kits, would visit the crime scene, the conviction rate will significantly increase. He said that a modern building at a cost ofRs 34 crore for educational facilities in the Delhi campus of National Forensic Science University (NFSU) has also been inaugurated today. He said that this building spread over an area of more than 5000 square meters would help the students and provide them a good environment for study and research. 90 modern hostel rooms are also available in this building. He said that in the coming days forensic investigation would play a very important role in the justice process.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the government is going to make radical changes in the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act in the days to come. He said that these three laws would be brought in accordance with the time and spirit of Constitution and would be further strengthened with the availability of forensic and other evidence to strengthen internal security. He said that for this, the network of forensic science has to be spread across the country. Shri Shah said that Delhi Police has also started trial of one of these reforms under which forensic science team visit is being made mandatory in every crime punishable with 6 years and above. For this, trained manpower and expert youth in the field of forensic science are required and to fulfill this purpose, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi established the National Forensic Science University. He said that in a very short time, campus of this university have been opened in 9 states of the country and in the next 2 years it will have campuses in every state of the country. Shri Shah said that this will provide the much needed trained manpower for the implementation of proposed legal changes.

Shri Amit Shah said that the year 2023 is very important for Delhi Police, Delhi Police will also bring laurels to the country by making security and traffic arrangements during this year G-20 Summit. Shri Shah said that keeping the challenges of the future in front, the process of improvement across 20 sectors was initiated at Delhi Police Headquarters, out of which very good progress has been made in 16 sectors. Due to this, there will be significant improvements in the works of Delhi Police in the coming days, which will also be very important and beneficial for the entire public of Delhi.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that from 2014 to 2023, there have been radical changes in the country's law and order situation and internal security. After the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, our security agencies have complete dominance over terrorism. He said that according to the latest data in Jammu and Kashmir, there has been a huge decline in terrorist incidents. Crores of people are visiting Kashmir for tourism. Instead of incidents of stone-pelting, processions and bandhs that used to happen earlier, today the whole of Kashmir is free from these incidents and welcoming lakhs of tourists. Shri Shah said that Left Wing Extremism had been a matter of great concern for our country for many decades, but now it has decreased drastically. He said that the lowest figures of Left Wing Extremism violence have been witnessed in the year 2022. He said Left Wing Extremism has now been confined to area under 46 police stations only, which is a huge achievement. Shri Shah said that our security forces are marching ahead with confidence showing bravery and courage in the areas of vacuum in Left Wing Extremism areas, as a result of which Left Wing Extremism is declining. He said that on the border of Jharkhand and Bihar, including BudhaPahadour security forces have completely freed many areas from Left Wing Extremism. For this Shri Shah congratulated all the security forces of Government of India and State Governments.

Shri Amit Shah said that earlier many groups spreading insurgencywere active in the North-East, but today peace has been established there and AFSPA has been removed from 60 percent of the North-East. Shri Shah said that today more than 8000 youths in the North-East have given up arms and have joined the mainstream. The government has entered into agreements with many extremist organizations and implemented them with full spirit, and this has increased the credibility of the Government and the Ministry of Home Affairs. He said that the Ministry of Home Affairs has also taken initiatives to resolve border disputes between States and peace has been established by resolving such border disputes.

The Union Home Minister said that 4 months ago, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan Police and NIA together started cracking down on interstate gangs in North India, in which they got huge success, Delhi Police also has a big role in this. He said that the Delhi Police has left no stone unturned to strengthen the ‘NashaMukt Bharat Abhiyan’ launched by the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said that it is the common responsibility of all of us to free the youth of the country, especially the youth of Delhi, from drugs. Shri Shah said that Delhi Police has done a very good job by sympathizing with the people who got addicted to drugs. Delhi Police established them back into the society by bringing them back to the mainstream and punished the drug peddlers and put them behind bars.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved a huge budget in the Cabinet yesterday to increase the housing satisfaction ratio for Delhi Police and all CAPFs. He expressed confidence that the Government will take the housing satisfaction ratio of the Country's police, all CAPFs and Delhi Police above 60 percent before 2024. Shri Shah wished that all the personnel of Delhi Police, by moving forward on the path guided by their motto of ‘Shanti, Sewa, Nyay’ would continue to handle the law and order situation in the country's capital Delhi in an excellent manner.

****

RK/AY/AKS