Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a broadside against INDIA bloc ally and Delhi’s former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over rising “pollution and inflation” at his first public rally for assembly elections in the national capital.

“Arvind Kejriwal had said that he would clean Delhi, remove corruption, and turn the national capital into Paris. What actually happened – one cannot move around due to pollution and inflation is rising,” Mr Gandhi said addressing his ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ public meeting in Seelampur.

“Arvind Kejriwal had talked of removing corruption. Has he removed corruption? Pollution, corruption and inflation are on the rise in Delhi,” he said.

The AAP chief reacted to the blistering attack by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and said while Mr Gandhi was fighting to save the Congress, “my fight is to save the country”.

“Today, Rahul Gandhi came to Delhi. He abused me a lot. But I will not comment on his statements,” he wrote on X in Hindi.

Accusing the AAP of keeping mum on the issue of caste census, Mr Gandhi promised a caste survey in Delhi if the Congress formed the government in the national capital.

The former Congress president sought people’s support to make the party victorious in Delhi, where it failed to win a single seat in the last two elections. He asserted that the party would ensure Delhi’s development as in the past under Sheila Dikshit’s government. “Neither (Arvind) Kejriwal nor the BJP can do what the Congress had done,” Mr Gandhi said.

The Congress has been highlighting the achievements of the 15-year rule under Sheila Dikshit.

In 2013, Arvind Kejriwal – a rookie politician back then – defeated the three-time chief minister in her constituency of New Delhi.

For this year’s election, the Congress has fielded Sandeep Dikshit, the son of Sheila Dikshit, against Mr Kejriwal.

The AAP and Congress have decided to go solo in the assembly elections, months after the parties fought the Lok Sabha Elections in Delhi together. Their Lok Sabha partnership ended in a debacle as the BJP won all the seven seats.

In the run-up to the Delhi assembly elections, the parties have engaged in bitter political fight, targeting each other over issues ranging from corruption and free welfare schemes, like free water, power, education, health and bus travel.

The Delhi Congress has even released a 12-point “white paper” against the AAP and BJP for mismanagement of pollution, civic facilities and law and order in the national capital.

In the 2020 assembly elections, the AAP won 62 of the 70 seats and BJP secured eight seats while Congress failed to open its account.

Polling for the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held on February 5 and votes counted on February 8.

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Head HR Sonica Muraleedharan defended Chairman SN Subrahmanyan after his remarks about wanting employees to work for 90 hours a week invoked a massive debate across the country. Amid the ongoing controversy that prompted responses from even celebrities, Ms Muraleedharan said that the chairman’s remarks were “misinterpreted” and taken out of context.

“It’s truly disheartening to see how the words of our MD & Chairman, SN Subrahmanyan (SNS) have been taken out of context, leading to misunderstandings and unnecessary criticism. Having been present during the internal address, I can confidently state that SNS never implied or mandated 90-hour work weeks,” she said in a post on LinkedIn.

According to the HR, Mr Subrahmanyan’s remarks were “casual in nature”.

Vouching for his leadership style, Ms Muraleedharan said, “He treats every employee as part of an extended family, fostering a sense of unity and belonging that’s rare in today’s corporate world”.

“SNS is, without question, a leader who genuinely cares for his team’s well-being. He consistently demonstrates an exceptional ability to balance his demanding professional commitments while creating a nurturing and empowering environment for his team. Working under his leadership has been more than just a job – it has been a transformative experience, akin to participating in a living masterclass on leadership, where every interaction imparts valuable life lessons,” she added.

Ms Muraleedharan further urged people to take a step back and fully understand the context and intent behind the L&T Chairman’s words.

“Leaders like SNS inspire positive change and growth, and it’s vital to recognize their efforts rather than misinterpret them. Instead of focusing on controversy, let’s celebrate and support leaders who empower, motivate, and elevate their teams, leaving a lasting, positive impact on the organization as a whole,” she said.

Mr Subrahmanyan sparked a huge outrage last week after he suggested employees should work 90 hours a week and even on Sundays to remain competitive.

“How long can you stare at your wife,” Mr Subrahmanyan is heard saying in a purported video address.

When he was asked why L&T required its employees to work on Saturdays, he said, “I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays, to be honest. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays also.”

These comments drew sharp responses on social media, including from actor Deepika Padukone who said that it is “shocking to see people in such senior positions make such statements”. Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla, RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka, and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra also mocked the 90-hour workweek idea.

Social media users also compared Mr Subrahmanyan to Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, who last year called for people to work for 70 hours a week.

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