Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Tuesday wrote to Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal , bringing his attention to the Delhi Commission for Women and how his government was dismantling the women rights panel since the day she resigned from it.
“I am writing this letter to bring attention to how the Delhi Government has been systematically dismantling the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) since my resignation from the position of Chairperson in January 2024. It is deeply regrettable that the systems that I had painstakingly built since 2015, are being destroyed by the Government,” her letter read.
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Accusing the government officials of making the Commission weak, Maliwal demanded answers on the shutdown of ‘181’ women helpline and the systemic erosion of the panel.
The former DCW chief alleged that the Commission’s staff has not been paid salaries since the last six months besides the budget allotted to the body being reduced.
She further claimed that the government is not making any efforts to fill in the vacant positions in the Commission, including that of the chairman and members.
She stated that under her leadership, the panel handled over 1.7 lakh complaints from women and children, and managed the 181 helpline, which received more than 41 lakh calls since 2016.
The Rajya Sabha member also outlined several challenges currently faced by DCW in her letter, including the alleged takeover of the 181 helpline by the Delhi government’s women and child development (WCD) department, supposedly in compliance with a central government directive.
She alleged that despite DCW operating under the WCD department, the helpline was abruptly shut down.
“This kind of negligent handling has left survivors of rape and other crimes without essential assistance for over 48 hours, highlighting a lack of empathy towards women and girls in Delhi,” Maliwal said, adding that the chief minister should hold the ministers and officials accountable for their actions.
She said since her resignation, the DCW has faced severe financial crises, and that funding for the year 2023-24 and 2024-25 has been withheld, affecting basic expenditure and depriving dedicated female ground staff of salaries since November 2023.
Maliwal sought for immediate action to ensure that the staff receives their overdue payments.
“These challenges underscore the urgent need for concerted efforts to restore stability and ensure the DCW can continue its vital work effectively,” she added.
