Political Controversy Erupts Over Fake Yamuna Ahead of Chhath Puja in Delhi

New Delhi, November 13 (Daily Kiran) : As preparations for Chhath Puja ramp up in New Delhi, political tensions have resurfaced regarding the cleanliness of the Yamuna River. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the government of constructing a ‘fake Yamuna’ at Vasudev Ghat, allegedly using drinking water pipelines buried underground for this purpose.

Saurabh Bhardwaj, the AAP’s Delhi president, shared a video on social media questioning the government’s actions. Senior party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also criticized the government over the issue. Bhardwaj claims that, similar to last year, the BJP government is attempting to mislead the public into believing the Yamuna has been cleaned, while the reality tells a different story.

He posed a critical question: if the Yamuna is indeed clean, why is the government using drinking water to create a fake river at Vasudev Ghat? Furthermore, he questioned the need to conceal the pipeline underground. Bhardwaj’s video highlighted the state of Vasudev Ghat, recalling how last year’s artificial Yamuna drew national attention after AAP exposed it, leading to widespread criticism of the BJP government.

Despite the embarrassment from last year’s incident, Bhardwaj alleges that the government is repeating the same tactics, this time with additional measures to hide the pipelines. He noted that last year, a small pipe was connected to a main green pipeline to channel water to the fake Yamuna, but this year, no such visible pipes are apparent. Upon inspecting the area around the main pipeline, he found signs of excavation, suggesting that the ground was repaired and covered with artificial grass to conceal the work.

Bhardwaj asserted that the small pipe, buried underground, connects directly to the fake Yamuna at Vasudev Ghat. He questioned the need for such concealment if the government is acting transparently. He also recalled the media buzz about Prime Minister Modi’s potential visit to Vasudev Ghat for Chhath Puja, which did not materialize after AAP’s revelations about the fake Yamuna.

Manish Sisodia echoed these concerns, stating on X that the BJP government is once again creating a fake Yamuna in Delhi. He emphasized that the government is attempting to assert that the Yamuna is clean, hence the need for hidden drinking water pipelines at Vasudev Ghat.

These allegations have sparked a new controversy in Delhi’s political landscape, just ahead of Chhath Puja. AAP is demanding transparency regarding the government’s claims about Yamuna’s cleanliness and the preparations at the ghats.