Desk Correspondent , Delhi - Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has launched a fierce counter-attack against social media trolls and political rivals following a wave of criticism regarding the city's deteriorating Air Quality Index (AQI). Breaking her silence on the "AQI trolling" that has trended for several days, Gupta asserted that the attacks are rooted in misogyny rather than genuine environmental concern. "They simply cannot handle a woman Chief Minister who is working non-stop for Delhi," she stated, suggesting that the trolling is a coordinated effort by the opposition to undermine her leadership.

The Chief Minister argued that while pollution is a complex, multi-state issue involving stubble burning and meteorological factors, the criticism has been unfairly personalized against her. Gupta highlighted that her administration has been "on the ground 24/7," implementing emergency measures like the Grap-4 restrictions and artificial rain trials. She claimed that her detractors are uncomfortable with a woman holding the reins of the national capital and are using the "seasonal pollution" as a weapon to distract from the developmental strides her government has made in education and healthcare.

The "AQI Row" has become a major political flashpoint, with the opposition accusing the government of "criminal negligence" as the city remains blanketed in toxic smog. However, Gupta’s "gender card" defense has reframed the debate, drawing support from her party colleagues who labeled the trolling as "vile and personal." As the smog continues to persist, the Chief Minister urged citizens to look at the data rather than the "propaganda," promising that her government would continue to fight both the pollution in the air and the "toxic politics" on the ground.