Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Monday that her government will soon introduce concessional metro passes for students, addressing a decade-long demand. Speaking at the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) annual event, “Swayamsiddha 2025,” held at Delhi University’s Sports Complex, Gupta also urged students to engage in activism to make their college years impactful.

Reflecting on her own journey, Gupta shared how her involvement with ABVP as a student at Daulat Ram College shaped her path to becoming chief minister. “I never dreamt of becoming anything big like a doctor or an engineer. In my family, it was not even an option for a girl to take up a job,” she said. “But when I joined the ABVP, I got involved in a strike that lasted for months. That was when I learnt about the DUSU and realised how activism can solve problems.”

Gupta credited her student politics days with building her leadership skills. “From listening to my college students to representing students across the university through the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU), my journey began there and has brought me here as the chief minister,” she said. Encouraging students to follow suit, she added, “You too can make your college life more memorable by joining a cause, and joining a cause means joining the ABVP.”

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Highlighting women’s potential, Gupta referenced Operation Sindoor, launched after the April 22 Pahalgam attack to dismantle terror infrastructure. “All of us felt proud when two women commanders briefed the entire country,” she said. “Every girl can become such an officer. Sky is the limit.”

Addressing the long-standing demand for concessional metro passes, Gupta reassured students, stating, “The promise that has not been fulfilled till now, have faith, your elder sister will do it for you. The Delhi government will ensure concessional metro passes.” Outgoing DUSU secretary and ABVP leader Mirtavinda Karanwal noted that the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government ignored this demand for a decade, expressing optimism about Gupta’s commitment.

“Swayamsiddha 2025,” organized by ABVP, the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), celebrates female students’ achievements across various fields, reinforcing the organization’s focus on empowering young women.

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