Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has strongly defended herself against online trolling and criticism over recent verbal slips, including mispronouncing the Air Quality Index (AQI) as "AIQ" and an earlier gaffe where she mistakenly referred to the British colonial government as the "Congress government" while discussing freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev. In an emotional address to the Delhi Legislative Assembly on January 10, 2026, Gupta accused her detractors, particularly from the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), of making "baseless allegations" and "cheap comments" and disrespecting her dignity by targeting these inadvertent mistakes. She highlighted how social media memes and ridicule have amplified these incidents, causing her personal distress.

The controversy stems from multiple public appearances where Gupta's slips drew widespread attention. In one instance during Assembly proceedings earlier this month, she described Bhagat Singh's 1929 bombing of the Central Legislative Assembly as an act against a "deaf Congress government," an error that ignored the historical fact that the protest was against British rule. The AAP seized on this, with leaders like Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjeev Jha mocking it as "history in remix mode" and an "updated version" of events. Similarly, her pronunciation of AQI as AIQ, amid discussions on Delhi's persistent pollution crisis, sparked memes and ridicule, with critics questioning her grasp of basic environmental terms.

Gupta framed the attacks as rooted in gender bias, asserting that critics "don't like the fact that a woman Chief Minister is working 24/7" for Delhi's progress. She emphasized her nonstop dedication since assuming office in February 2025 as the city's first BJP Chief Minister in decades, contrasting her government's 11 months of focused work with what she called the previous AAP administration's "11 years of mismanagement and corruption." " Gupta stressed that anyone can make mistakes while speaking but accused opponents of deliberate wrongdoing in their governance.

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The remarks come amid heightened political tensions in the national capital, where the BJP-led government has prioritized issues like pollution control, healthcare, and infrastructure. Gupta's emotional response, shared widely on social media, has polarized opinions, with supporters praising her resilience and critics viewing it as an attempt to deflect from substantive issues using the "woman card." The incidents underscore the intense scrutiny faced by public figures in a digital age, where minor errors can quickly escalate into major controversies.

As Delhi grapples with ongoing challenges like air quality and urban development, Gupta reiterated her commitment to delivery over distractions, projecting 2026 as a year of visible results. The episode highlights the challenges of leadership in a polarized political landscape, where personal slips often intersect with broader debates on gender, governance, and accountability.

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