AAP Challenges BJP Leaders to Drink Yamuna Water Amid Cleanliness Claims

New Delhi, October 29 (Daily Kiran) : As the Chhath Mahaparv approaches, the political rivalry between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the cleanliness of the Yamuna River has intensified in New Delhi. The controversy erupted following a video of BJP MP Manoj Tiwari taking a dip in the Yamuna, prompting AAP to accuse the BJP of misleading the public.

AAP’s Delhi President, Saurabh Bhardwaj, has challenged Tiwari and Delhi government minister Pravesh Verma to drink water from the Yamuna at the Kalindi Kunj Ghat. Bhardwaj claims that last year, when a similar challenge was issued, BJP leaders backed down, and he expects the same outcome this time.

Bhardwaj criticized the BJP for attempting to portray the Yamuna’s water as clean before the festival. He alleged that BJP leaders are hiding the river’s actual condition while presenting a sanitized image to the public. According to him, the truth about the water quality can be observed firsthand at the ghats.

He noted that a stretch of approximately 26 kilometers of the Yamuna, from Palla to Wazirabad, has historically remained relatively clean. Bhardwaj asserted that during the AAP government’s tenure, the water quality in this section improved. He referenced a report from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to argue that BJP leaders are unaware of the pollution sources affecting the Yamuna.

Bhardwaj explained that the first major drain entering the Yamuna near Wazirabad, close to the Signature Bridge, releases about 862 million gallons per day of wastewater, which contributes to the river’s pollution. He pointed out that while the initial 26 kilometers of the river maintain lower pollution levels, the situation worsens with the influx of drain water.

He also accused the Haryana BJP government of releasing additional clean water into the Yamuna through the Hathnikund Barrage during last year’s Chhath Mahaparv, a tactic he claims has been repeated this year to mask the river’s pollution. Following such measures, he contended, the BJP showcases its achievements regarding Yamuna cleanliness.

Bhardwaj recalled an incident from last year when the BJP was accused of creating an artificial image of the Yamuna using bottled water. This raised questions about the authenticity of their claims after the situation came to light.

Meanwhile, AAP activists have visited the Yamuna ghats to assess the water’s condition. They reported that the river appeared black and polluted at the site. The activists criticized MP Manoj Tiwari for claiming to drink water after bathing in it, asserting that the river’s actual state tells a different story.

They challenged Tiwari to take a dip where the drains enter the Yamuna and to consume the water there, suggesting he should live-stream this act on social media for transparency. Bhardwaj emphasized that the citizens of Delhi elected Tiwari as their MP, and he has a responsibility to provide them with accurate information about the Yamuna’s condition. He accused the BJP of using the river’s cleanliness for political gain ahead of the Chhath festival.