Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday paid homage to martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation, described the Constitution as the soul of India, and said it has guided the country for 77 years as a beacon of justice, equality and dignity.
She was addressing the Republic Day celebration ceremony at Chhatrasal Stadium, where she unfurled the national flag and reviewed the parade.
Addressing the Republic Day Celebration ceremony at Chhatrasal Stadium, Delhi Chief Minister Gupta said, “I pay homage to those martyrs who prioritised the nation above even their own lives for the honour of the tricolour and bequeathed us this republic, self-respect, and freedom. The Constitution is the soul of India. Over the past 77 years, India’s Constitution has been guiding us as a beacon of light for justice, equality, and dignity… India remembers all the efforts, from the framing of the Constitution to nation-building.”
#WATCH | Delhi CM Rekha Gupta reviews the parade at Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium during the Republic Day celebrations. pic.twitter.com/Hq0uS8CXiA
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2026
Why Delhi celebrate Republic Day today, not January 26?
Delhi celebrates Republic Day a day before January 26 because the Chief Minister and other Delhi government officials need to attend the official national Republic Day parade on January 26. Holding the state celebration a day earlier allows them to commemorate the occasion. Additionally, it is not feasible to organise a separate parade in the national capital for the state government due to security concerns.
Reflecting on her government’s tenure, Chief Minister Gupta said the administration faced several accumulated challenges when it took charge of office eleven months ago and has since taken meaningful steps to give Delhi a new direction.
“When our government took charge of Delhi eleven months ago, we faced numerous challenges, but the biggest challenge was the dust and obstacles that had accumulated on the system over the years. We have taken several meaningful steps to change this situation and give Delhi a new direction… Based on the principle of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ of the Prime Minister, we have taken many decisions for public welfare during the past eleven months, aiming to bring real and positive change in the lives of the citizens,” she said.
Highlighting welfare initiatives, the Chief Minister said the Ayushman Bharat scheme was implemented in Delhi on the very first day of her government’s formation. She said around 6.5 lakh people have registered under the scheme so far, which provides health insurance coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh to beneficiaries.
“Ayushman Bharat, the country’s and the world’s largest health scheme, was implemented in Delhi on the very first day of our government’s formation. Today, 6.5 lakh people have registered under this scheme, which provides life insurance coverage of Rs 10 lakh to the beneficiaries,” she said.
Detailing her plan for the betterment of the national capital, Chief Minister Gupta said the government has decided to convert 100 per cent of Delhi’s public transport buses into an emission-free electric fleet within the next three years.
Delhi Chief Minister Gupta, “The Delhi government has doubled its capital expenditure. Rs 30 thousand crore will now be spent on capital expenditure in Delhi… To make Delhi better, we have decided that within three years, 100% of Delhi’s public transport buses will be converted into an emission-free electric fleet. All the necessary arrangements have been made so that Delhi receives 11 thousand electric buses.”
