'Malicious, Misleading, Fictitious': DCW Writes To Swati Maliwal For 'Attacking' Delhi Govt, Says 'Instead Expose LG'

DCW critcised Maliwal for making the struggle of 700 women employed in the Commission only about herself and for saying that the attack on DCW started only after her resignation.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP and former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on July 2 wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing the Delhi government of "systemically dismantling" the commission and seeking an explanation for the same. In response to this, the DCW members Kiran Negi and Firdos Khan wrote back to her, accusing her instead of making "malicious, misleading, and fictitious claims".

The letter by the DCW memebrs stated how they were "pained" to see Maliwal's letter and video byte, who herself has spent nine years as he head of the commission. 

DCW critcised Maliwal for making the struggle of 700 women employed in the commission only about herself and for saying that the attack on DCW started only after her resignation.

"Over 700 women who have been employed in the Commission and various grant programs across the city have been left without any salary since November 2023 but you have made the struggle of these women only about yourself and have made statements that the attack on DCW started after your resignation," the letter read.

In the letter, the members wrote how Maliwal conducted a huge press conference in May 2024, attacking the Delhi LG for terminating the DCW staff and was now targeting the elected government instead.

The DCW members also wrote: "You categorically told the media that how systematically the Hon'ble LG was directing the WCD officials to disintegrate the DCW. Now suddenly, you have chosen to attack the elected government instead of the Hon'ble LG for the reasons best known to you."

"I humbly request you to kindly desist from attacking the elected govt and instead, expose the Hon'ble LG and the actual perpetrators of this attack on the Commission, like you have done for all these years till two months back," Kiran Negi told Swati Maliwal.

Budget Cut By 28.5%, 181 Helpline Withdrawn, Annual Budget Reduced: Maliwal

Swati Maliwal stated in her letter to Kejriwal that ever since she resigned from the DCW chairperson, the Delhi government launched a campaign against the commission. 

In her letter, she claimed that the budget of the commission was cut by 28.5%, no one had been paid for past six months, and 181 helpline number had been withdrawn.

"Since I resigned from the position of Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, the ministers and officials of the Delhi government have launched a campaign against the commission. No one has been paid for the past six months, the budget has been cut by 28.5 percent, the 181 helpline has been withdrawn, and no action has been taken to fill the posts of Chairperson and two members," Swati Maliwal claimed.

Seeking an explanation from Arvind Kejriwal, she further said: "The post of Dalit member has been vacant for 1.5 years! Every possible effort is being made to turn the women's commission back into a weak institution as soon as I left. Why is the Delhi government taking out its enmity on women? I have written a letter to Arvind Kejriwal asking for an explanation!"

Here's the full letter written by Swati Maliwal to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, seeking an explanation from him regarding the matter.