• Source:JND
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Swati Maliwal, former DCW chief, has accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's ministers of making the women's panel a "weak institution". Maliwal had resigned as the chairperson of the Delhi Commission For Women following her nomination to the Rajya Sabha by the Aam Aadmi Party. In a letter to Kejriwal, Maliwal alleges that the DCW staff have not been paid salaries for the past six months, the commission's budget has been reduced by 28.5 per cent, and the 181 women's helpline has been withdrawn. Maliwal also claims that no efforts have been made to fill the vacant positions of DCW chairperson and two members.

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"Ever since I resigned from the post of chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, the ministers and officers of Delhi government have opened a front against the commission. None of the staff has been paid salary for the last six months, the budget has been reduced by 28.5 per cent, 181 helpline has been withdrawn and no work has been done to fill the posts of chairman and two members," Maliwal said in a post in Hindi on X.

Amid Maliwal's allegations, Delhi Women and Child Development minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday said the 181 helpline will now be run by his department and the number will remain inoperative for a few days for transition.

In the same post, Maliwal also said, "The post of a Dalit member is lying vacant for 1.5 years! As soon as I left, every possible effort was being made to make the Women's Commission a weak institution again. Why is the Delhi government showing hostility towards women? I have written a letter to @ArvindKejriwal ji seeking his reply!"

Maliwal has previously accused Kejriwal's close aide Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her at the chief minister's residence, and Kumar is currently in judicial custody over this matter.