Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attended a ceremony marking the birth anniversary of Sant Shiromani Guru Kabir Das on Sunday, 28 June 2026, using the occasion to reaffirm the Delhi government's commitment to reaching the last person in the development queue under the Antyodaya (upliftment of the poorest) vision.

What CM Gupta said

Posting on X, CM Gupta wrote that she was privileged to participate in the jayanti (birth anniversary) celebration. She described Sant Kabir's life as an eternal message of social harmony, service, and public welfare — 'saamajik samarasta, seva aur jankalyan ka shashwat sandesh.'

She added that, following the resolve of Antyodaya under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Delhi government is continuously working to deliver development, dignity, and opportunity to every person standing in the last row.

Context: Who was Guru Kabir Das?

Sant Kabir Das, the 15th-century mystic poet-saint, is revered across caste and religious lines in India for his dohas (couplets) that challenged social hierarchy and preached unity between Hindus and Muslims. His birth anniversary, Kabir Das Jayanti, falls on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha and is observed with community gatherings, recitations, and social-welfare pledges across the country.

The occasion holds particular resonance for communities that have historically faced social marginalisation, and political leaders across the spectrum regularly attend jayanti events to underline inclusive governance credentials.

Policy backdrop: Antyodaya and Delhi's welfare agenda

The term Antyodaya — literally 'rise of the last' — originates with Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, an ideological cornerstone of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and has been adopted as a guiding principle by the Modi government at the Centre for its welfare schemes targeting the poorest households.

Since the BJP returned to power in Delhi following the February 2025 assembly elections — ending a decade of Aam Aadmi Party rule — CM Gupta has repeatedly invoked the Antyodaya framework to signal a shift in the capital's welfare delivery model, aligning Delhi's programmes more closely with Central government schemes.

Dignitaries present

The event was attended by Union Minister of State B.L. Verma, Cabinet colleague Ravindra Indraj Singh, and BJP MLA Neelam Pahlwan, along with other party representatives. The presence of a Central minister alongside Delhi government functionaries underscored the coordinated outreach by the BJP to communities that revere Sant Kabir.

What's next

The Delhi government is expected to outline specific welfare initiatives in the coming weeks that operationalise the Antyodaya pledge reiterated at the event. Community leaders and social organisations associated with the Kabir Panth tradition will be watching whether the ceremonial commitment translates into targeted policy action for marginalised households in the capital.