Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday criticized the BJP in the Delhi Assembly, alleging that the saffron party indulged in dirty politics at the cost of women’s safety by undermining the role of bus marshals.

She said, “The BJP, which claims to care about public welfare, has systematically undermined the role of bus marshals by first halting their salaries, then removing them, and now blocking their reinstatement.” CM highlighted Delhi government’s efforts to regularize bus marshals and reinstate them, only to be met with inexplicable delays by the LG’s office.

According to Atishi, two weeks ago, the Delhi government sent a proposal to the LG regarding regularization of bus marshals, and retain their deployment in buses until then. However, the LG has not responded to this critical proposal,” she claimed. She urged the LG to prioritize women’s safety and approve the proposal without further delay.

“This is essential to ensure the reinstatement of marshals in buses for the safety of Delhi’s women,” she said. In a direct challenge to the Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, Delhi CM stated, “If the Leader of Opposition gets the LG’s approval for the proposal to reinstate bus marshals, I will personally campaign for him.”

Speaking on the issue, she further said, “The issue of bus marshals is close to my heart because I am a resident of Delhi. I have studied here, worked here, and understand the challenges women face while commuting in buses,” she added.

Recalling her school days, she shared, “I remember how parents were hesitant to let their daughters stay late in school because they feared for their safety on the way back home. Harassment, inappropriate comments, and misbehavior were common in crowded buses.”

Atishi highlighted how the appointment of bus marshals by Arvind Kejriwal’s government in 2015 changed the narrative for women in Delhi. She shared, “Women and girls have told me how the presence of a uniformed marshal in buses made troublemakers think twice before harassing them. Women felt safer knowing that a marshal was there to protect them in case of any untoward incident.”

The CM reiterated her challenge, “If the Leader of Opposition gets the LG to approve the proposal for appointing bus marshals, I will personally campaign for him. For us, this is not about one seat but about the safety of Delhi’s women and the livelihoods of 10,000 marshals from underprivileged families.”