Atishi alleges CM Rekha Gupta's husband running government affairs, shares photo
New Delhi, Apr 13 (PTI): A fresh political row erupted in the national capital on Saturday after the Leader of Opposition Atishi alleged the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's husband in an official meeting involving senior officers MCD, DJB, PWD, and DUSIB.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva in response accused Atishi of making an "insulting" remark.
In his post on X, Sachdeva defended Rekha Gupta, saying she had risen through the ranks with "hard work and determination" and that it was "perfectly normal" for family members to support public representatives.
Sharing a photo on X, Atishi alleged that the Delhi government was being run by the chief minister's husband, comparing the situation to what is often seen in villages.
"Look at this photo carefully. The person who is taking the meeting of the officers of MCD, DJB, PWD and DUSIB is the husband of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta," Atishi said in her post.
"Earlier we used to hear that if a woman Sarpanch was elected in the village, then all the government work would be handled by her husband... But this must be the first time in the history of the country that a woman has become the Chief Minister and all the government work is being handled by her husband," she added.
Atishi also wondered if frequent power cuts and hikes in private school fees had behind them the role of her husband in the administration.
In response, Sachdeva said, "Atishi being a woman yourself, it is surprising you are insulting another woman leader. Rekha Gupta has worked her way up from DUSU Secretary to Delhi CM. Her husband supporting her is neither illegal nor unethical."
Sachdeva also pointed out instances where AAP leaders' spouses had been involved in political affairs, including Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal addressing the public from the CM's office following Kejriwal's arrest.
"Was that not an insult to democracy?" Sachdeva asked.
सुश्री @AtishiAAP आपकी यह X Post देख कर आश्चर्यचकित हूं की एक महिला होते हुए आपने - अपने खुद के परिश्रम से जन सेवा के संकल्प के साथ डूसू छात्रसंघ सचिव से लेकर दिल्ली के मुख्य मंत्री पद तक की यात्रा पूर्ण करने वाली श्रीमती @gupta_rekha जी के प्रति अपमान जनक कटाक्ष किया है।
— Virendraa Sachdeva (@Virend_Sachdeva) April 12, 2025
रेखा… https://t.co/hHd5Gd1WM8 pic.twitter.com/BhvX0YrKch
यह फोटो ध्यान से देखिए। जो व्यक्ति MCD, DJB, PWD और DUSIB के अफसरों की मीटिंग ले रहे हैं, यह दिल्ली की मुख्यमंत्री रेखा गुप्ता जी के पति मनीष गुप्ता जी हैं।
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) April 12, 2025
हम पहले सुनते थे कि अगर गाँव में एक महिला सरपंच चुन कर आती थी, तो सारा सरकारी काम उसका पति संभालता था। ऐसा कहा जाता था कि… pic.twitter.com/ARMX8u98WR
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
