Raise concerns in meetings with govt not media, Rai tells police

Delhi transport minister Gopal Rai on Monday said the Delhi Police commissioner should raise questions about the odd-even formula in meetings with the government before discussing them with the media.
Rai was referring to Bassi’s statement that AAP volunteers cannot become vigilantes and will be prosecuted if they broke the law.
“He should not politicise the issue. The volunteers are from Delhi government’s Civil Defence team and not AAP. All these issues could have been raised in the meeting of the preparatory committee,” Rai said.
While supporting the odd-even restrictions, Bassi said volunteers should not become vigilantes.
“DP (Delhi Police) to assist odd-even to protect environment. Volunteers not to act on their own. Even stopping or asking someone to return is an IPC crime,” Bassi had tweeted.
Reports that AAP volunteers will come out on roads to help implement the odd-even restriction were denied by Rai who said only civil defence volunteers, who are paid by the Delhi government, will assist Delhi Police.
“Even they will only have the right to talk to drivers and convince them. They can flag down cars or ask anyone to turn back. As in the car-free day, the volunteers will talk to the drivers who are flouting rules and will give them roses. The idea is to educate them about the harmful effects of pollution,” said Rai.
If any AAP volunteers break rules, they will be booked as per law. “No one will be spared if they break the law,” he said.
Earlier in the day senior AAP leader Ashutosh said that they will work with the police and not against it.
“If there is any training that volunteers can go through and help, they will undergo it. The Delhi Police is severely short staffed and we will cooperate with them as much as we can. No one should be allowed to take the law into their hands,” he said.