Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has drawn sharp Opposition criticism for not visiting the site of the Malviya Nagar hotel fire that killed 21 people on Wednesday, even as she ordered a detailed inquiry and promised strict action against those found responsible for lapses.

While several Opposition leaders travelled to the tragedy site in south Delhi, the Chief Minister stayed away — a decision that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj seized on in a post on social media platform X.

The Opposition's charge

In his X post, Bharadwaj wrote: ‘Twenty-one innocent lives brutally snatched away in the Malviya Nagar fire while eyewitnesses again accuse Delhi Government for late response of fire brigades. Delhi is shattered, furious, and in tears. Yet CM Rekha Gupta hasn't shown her face at the spot, hasn't met a single grieving family, and offers only cosmetic statements from her ivory tower…'

The AAP leader's remarks tied the absence to a second, more damaging allegation — that Delhi Fire Services reached the scene late. The government has not formally addressed the timeline question.

What the Chief Minister said

Gupta expressed grief over the deaths and sought a detailed report from South Delhi District Magistrate Lakshay Singhal on the circumstances of the fire. She assured the families of victims of all possible assistance and said action would be taken against anyone found responsible for lapses.

‘Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the devastating fire incident in Malviya Nagar. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured and for strength and courage to all those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy,' the Chief Minister said in a statement.

Rescue operations

Gupta said that on receiving information about the fire, teams of Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), CATS Ambulance Services and other emergency response agencies were mobilised. ‘Their swift response helped in rescuing and evacuating several persons from the affected premises,' she said.

‘Delhi Government is closely monitoring the situation. All necessary medical assistance and support are being extended to the affected families. In this hour of grief, the Delhi Government stands firmly with the affected families,' she added.

Why the optics matter

For a first-term Chief Minister still defining her crisis playbook, the absence at a 21-death site invites a politically costly contrast with Opposition leaders who were photographed at the spot. Notably, on-the-ground visits have become a near-default expectation for Delhi CMs after major incidents, irrespective of party. The inquiry's findings — and the response timeline of fire services — will now sit at the centre of the political fight.