In her first statement hours after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public hearing at her residence, she responded by saying that the attack was a "cowardly attack" on the BJP-led government's effort to serve the people of the national capital. 

"The attack on me during this morning's public hearing was not just an attack on me, but a cowardly attempt on our resolve to serve Delhi and work for the welfare of the people," Ms Gupta wrote in a post on X. 

"Naturally, I was in shock after this attack, but now I am feeling better," she added. 

Hours after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public hearing at her residence, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator has claimed that the Chief Minister engineered the attack and called it a "drama" to evade questions on key civic issues.

Anil Jha, MLA from Kirari and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, told the media that "no attack happened". "No attack happened. I have known her for a long time now. This is a story, and she got a man to perform this drama," he said. Read here

Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam condemned the attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta and stated that the police would investigate the motive behind the incident and take strict action against the accused as well as those who may have masterminded it.

Kadam said, "We condemn the attack on the Delhi Chief Minister. What was the intention of the accused? Why did he attack the state CM, who is a woman, in the middle of a crowd? Who are the masterminds behind him? What is their modus operandi and reasons? The police will investigate and probe all these aspects."

"Whoever is behind the accused will face strict action, and both the accused individual and the masterminds will be held accountable," he added.

Delhi Police registered an FIR of attempt to murder in connection with the attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at her camp office in north Delhi's Civil Lines area on Wednesday.

A case under section 109(1) [attempt to murder] of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been lodged at Civil Lines police station, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said in a statement.

The officer said that the accused, identified as Sakriya Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai, has been taken into custody and is being interrogated.

Sources said that the Delhi Police's Special Cell is probing the attack on the CM, news agency PTI reported. 

Minister of Food & Supplies, Industry, Forest & Environment Manjinder Singh Sirsa condemned attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and said, "I strongly condemn the cowardly attack on CM Rekha Gupta during a public hearing. Her fearless connect with people and unwavering commitment to public service clearly unsettles the opposition, which is stooping to such shameful tactics. Wishing her strength, safety and a speedy recovery."

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav criticised the attack and called it extremely sad.  "It is condemnable that the chief minister was attacked. This also exposes the fact that women are not safe in Delhi. People come here for safety. The police should wake up and address the issue of women's safety," he added. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday condemned the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, stressing that if the Delhi Chief Minister  is unsafe under central-controlled policing, the safety of ordinary citizens remains in serious doubt.

"...We have seen past incidents where the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal faced these kinds of attacks. At that time, the BJP used to celebrate those attacks. The law and order challenge has entered the doorstep of the sitting CM of the capital of this country. It is extremely worrisome, and questions need to be raised to the Home Ministry since Delhi Police & the law and order come under them...How are the citizens of Delhi safe if the CM herself is unsafe?... I am hoping that the Home Ministry will finally wake up to the cause being made by the citizens of Delhi," Ms Chaturvedi told ANI.

AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj also expressed disappointment over the incident, saying there is no place for such an attack in society and these are not the principles taught by Mahatma Gandhi.

According to sources in the police, the accused carried out a recce of the Chief Minister's Official Residence and spent the night in the area at Civil Lines on Tuesday night.

The man who attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has been identified as Sakaria Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai, originally from Rajkot in Gujarat. Delhi Police reached out to his family, and his mother, Bhanu, has said that Rajesh is a dog lover and was upset over the Supreme Court's recent ruling to round up stray dogs in Delhi NCR and shift them to shelters, sources said. Some accounts also claim 41-year-old Sakaria went to the public meeting to seek the Chief Minister's help after his relative was arrested. An official response from Delhi Police is awaited. 

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is "shaken", but she is doing fine. "During the 'Jan Sunwai' this morning, the Chief Minister was interacting with the public as usual when a man approached her, handed over some papers and suddenly caught her hand, attempting to pull her towards him. In the scuffle that followed, people overpowered him..," he said.

According to police sources, the accused's mother Bhanu Ben said his son was an animal lover and was upset over the administration's action related to the recent Supreme Court directive on stray dogs.

"The attack on Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democratic system, differences of opinion and opposition are acceptable, but there can be no place for violence. I am confident that the Delhi Police will take appropriate action. I hope the Chief Minister is completely safe and healthy," AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said on X.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was allegedly attacked during a "Jan Sunwai" programme on Thursday morning, police said, adding that the accused has been caught and is being questioned.