‘They don’t like a woman CM working round the clock’: Rekha Gupta hits back at critics in Delhi Assembly
PTC Web Desk: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday launched a strong defence against what she described as repeated attempts to undermine her, saying she has been subjected to disrespect, mockery and unfounded criticism since assuming office, largely because she is a woman leading the government.
Speaking in the Delhi Assembly during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Lieutenant Governor’s address, she referred to the recent controversy over her mispronunciation of the air quality index (AQI), which she said was unfairly used to target her.
“They question why I spelled AQI as AIQ. They do not like the fact that a woman Chief Minister is working 24x7. Sometimes they disrespect me, sometimes they make cheap remarks,” she said, addressing the House.
The Chief Minister said occasional slips while speaking should not be blown out of proportion, adding that anyone could mispronounce words or make verbal errors. “I made a mistake. But some things were done deliberately,” she added, without naming individuals.
Later, sharing a video clip of her speech on social media, Rekha Gupta said she has been working continuously for Delhi and that her dedication appeared to have unsettled her critics. “I have been working day and night for Delhi. That is what troubles them,” she wrote.
During her address, she also drew a sharp comparison between her government’s 11 months in office and the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration’s 11-year tenure, which she accused of mismanagement and corruption.
She claimed her government had prioritised improvements in health, education, transport and infrastructure, while alleging that Delhi’s basic services had suffered in the past due to poor planning.
Highlighting key initiatives, Rekha Gupta pointed to the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Vandana Yojana, digitisation of hospital services, Jan Aushadhi Kendras, and palna centres aimed at supporting working women. In the education sector, she said steps were being taken to curb arbitrary practices by private schools.
The Delhi CM also accused the previous government of allowing major cost overruns in hospital projects, irregular power connections and inflated water bills. She said her administration had addressed these issues through legal electricity metering, an amnesty scheme for pending water dues and timely GST refunds for traders
- With inputs from agencies
