Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday delivered a sharp rebuttal in the Legislative Assembly, expressing deep anguish over how Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members have used her inadvertent verbal slips to attack her dignity. She asserted that the opposition finds it difficult to tolerate a woman running a government and working round the clock.
A Personal Attack on Dignity
Replying to the discussion on the Lieutenant Governor's address, CM Gupta launched a pointed critique at AAP and its national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, without directly naming him. She stated she was pained by the behaviour of AAP functionaries, who she claimed made cheap comments and baseless allegations. "They do not like a woman running govt or a woman chief minister working 24x7, doing so many things… They are unable to tolerate it," Gupta said.
She cited examples where her words were twisted, such as saying 'AIQ' instead of 'AQI' (Air Quality Index) and 'Congress' instead of 'British' during a speech. "Anyone can make such verbal slips," she defended, adding that AAP members quickly created social media reels to mock these errors.
Contrasting Journeys: Protest to Power
In a stark comparison, the Chief Minister highlighted Kejriwal's political trajectory. She recalled that he had consciously sworn on his children to never seek power, accept government posts, official bungalows, vehicles, or ally with the Congress. "Those misleading statements were made consciously and not by mistake as I did," Gupta emphasised.
She described his transition from leading hunger strikes at Ramlila Maidan to residing in a 'Sheesh Mahal' (a palatial residence) as a journey undertaken with full awareness, contrasting it with her own unintentional slips of the tongue.
Governance and Pollution Control in Focus
Shifting to governance, CM Gupta outlined her administration's efforts to combat pollution and improve public transport. She announced that two new vehicle fitness centres were opened and bicycle services were started at 17 metro stations. Furthermore, three more metro corridors have been permitted, with new routes in planning.
The Delhi metro network, currently spanning 394 kilometres, is set to expand beyond 500 kilometres, she underlined. The broader vision, she added, is to cultivate a public transport culture where people feel no shame in opting for it over private vehicles.
Targeting AAP's previous initiatives, Gupta questioned the efficacy of their Rs 25-crore smog tower, which she claimed did not last a month. "You question us on cloud seeding. Even if it did not succeed, govt tried and should be appreciated," she stated.
Legislative Business and Counter Arguments
During the session, the Delhi Assembly passed several significant bills:
- The Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, aimed at decriminalising minor offences.
- The Court Fees (Delhi Amendment) Bill, 2025, which provides for a full refund of court fees in cases where disputes are settled out of court.
- The Delhi Shops and Establishments (Amendment) Bill, granting permission for women employees to work night shifts.
Responding to the pollution debate, AAP MLA and former environment minister Gopal Rai argued that slogans and abuses cannot clean Delhi's air. He pointed out that Delhi had progressed from just 109 good air days in 2016 to 209 through sustained governance under Kejriwal. Rai contended that if the current BJP-led government merely continued the previous administration's work, pollution levels would decline.
