Arvind Kejriwal sharply criticised Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday for mocking his Vipassana meditation practice, calling it an unnecessary attack on a spiritual discipline amid an escalating political spat over Delhi’s pollution crisis. Kejriwal said that while CM Gupta may hold political hostility toward him, she should not ridicule Vipassana, which he described as a meditative technique rooted in the teachings of Lord Buddha. He urged her to experience it herself, saying it provides inner peace and cannot be equated with “running away.” His remarks came in response to Gupta’s allegation that he leaves Delhi for Vipassana every six months while BJP leaders remain in the city to tackle pollution.
Gupta had accused Kejriwal of “abandoning Delhi to its fate,” saying both the problem of pollution and its solutions lie within the city. Her comments prompted a counter-attack from AAP leaders, including the party’s Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj. He argued that the Chief Minister lacked understanding of the Air Quality Index and its parameters, adding that pollution levels had deteriorated to the point where smog was visible even indoors. Bharadwaj questioned what residents could expect from the government over the next four years and urged that experts handle the crisis while the Chief Minister steps aside.
The political feud unfolded as Delhi’s air quality plunged further, with the AQI reaching 497 — firmly in the ‘severe’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. In view of the hazardous conditions, the Directorate of Education directed schools to shift Classes IX and XI to hybrid mode. The development followed the Commission for Air Quality Management, activating Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan as conditions neared emergency levels.
