Meenakshi Lekhi (born 30 April 1967) is an Indian politician who served as the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India from 7 July 2021 till 10 June 2024.

[3] On 26 July 2019, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla appointed Lekhi as a chairperson of parliamentary committee on Public Undertakings[4] and is continuing since then in that position.

Besides writing articles in journals, periodicals and newspapers on socio-political issues, she participates in various television shows on matters on national and international importance.

[17] In a separate verdict dated 10 April 2019 the Supreme Court had agreed to admit three secret stolen documents of the Ministry of Defence related to the Rafale deal file as admissible piece of evidence in the court, dismissing the government's contention that as per the Official Secrecy Act, such documents can't be admitted.

[18] However, Rahul Gandhi, while talking on the judgment with the media, had imputed his own words to the SC saying that the latter had agreed with his assertion that 'chowkidar chor hai' (the chowkidar is a thief) - a reference to PM Narendra Modi, who calls himself 'chowkidar' meaning 'the caretaker' or the guard.

She quickly rose the ranks and was appointed as one of the vice-presidents of its women's wing, BJP Mahila Morcha in 2010 by the then party president Nitin Gadkari.

[20] Lekhi was considered a strong supporter of the then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi within the party.

[25] Lekhi, as member of the NDMC as well as the MP of the New Delhi constituency where the road is situated, had played important role in this decision.

Giving instances of the killing of Bengal migrant worker Manik Roy, who was beaten up by a group of men in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on the suspicion that he had stolen a hen, and a 30-year-old tribal man Madhu, who was beaten by an irate mob in Kerala on the accusation of theft, Lekhi told that many cases of lynchings happen due to poverty and economic issues.

[37][38] On 26 July 2019, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla appointed Lekhi as a chairperson of parliamentary committee on Public Undertakings.

Lekhi also praised Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for his past political stands during her speech.

[41] Lekhi has been a member of the National Commission for Women's special committee, Chairperson of the Special Task Force on Women Empowerment, Vice Chairperson of JPM, Blind School (New Delhi) and Joint Secretary of the Blind Relief Association, Delhi.

[1] In April 2015, she was part of a national environment awareness program, hosted by Women Can, a non-government organisation.