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Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Jan 29: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday took a sip of water from the Yamuna River in Delhi’s Palla Village as a demonstration to refute the allegations made by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal about poisoning the river.
Mr Saini refuted Kejriwal’s allegations that the BJP-led Haryana government had poisoned the Yamuna, calling the statement an attempt to create fear for political gains. A video showing the Haryana CM drinking water from the sacred river has been shared on social media, where he can be seen standing at the riverbank as he takes a sip.
Speaking after drinking the water, Mr Saini said, “An unfortunate statement by Arvind Kejriwal was given to create fear in the minds of people for his political benefits. Today, I have come here to the banks of River Yamuna and took a sip of water from Yamuna. He said that the BJP Govt of Haryana has poisoned the Yamuna River.”
Mr Saini also pointed out that water samples from the river had been tested by the water resource authority, and no traces of poison were found. He further accused Kejriwal of lying throughout his political career.
Saini also took to the social media platform X to share his thoughts after drinking the Yamuna water.
“Without any hesitation I drank the water of the holy Yamuna on the border of Haryana. Atishi ji did not come. She must be making up a new lie. Lies have no legs. That is why Aap-da’s lie is not working. The god-like people of Delhi have recognized these deceivers. The end of AAP’s era of deceit is certain on 5 February. The people of Delhi will punish Haryana’s ungrateful son Kejriwal because our brotherhood has been strong for centuries,” he wrote in his post.
This comes after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief charged the Haryana government with contaminating the Yamuna with “poison,” a claim that drew heavy criticism from the ruling BJP. The Haryana government responded by threatening to take legal action against Kejriwal, and the Delhi Jal Board also dismissed the claims, calling them “factually incorrect, misleading, and without any basis.”
The exchange has intensified a political war of words over the state of the Yamuna. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also weighed in on the matter, slamming Kejriwal in a public meeting in Delhi’s Kartar Nagar ahead of the February 5 assembly elections.
Asking voters in the national capital, “Can BJP’s Haryana’s government poison the water the Prime Minister drinks?” Mr Modi said, “Those who built ‘sheesh mahal’ and those who looted public money worth thousands of crores of rupees can never think of the welfare of the poor. That is why they are spreading lies in Delhi. These AAP-da people speak lies with such innocence that people get trapped.”
Slamming the AAP leaders for the “disgusting charge,” he said, “They asked for votes on the Yamuna… but now they are being shameless about it. They want Delhi to beg for water. AAP has sinned for political gains. History will never forgive them… Delhi will never forgive them,” he thundered to chants of ‘Modi, Modi’. “But the BJP can give you clean water.”
The Election Commission of India has given the APP time till 8 PM on Wednesday to submit proof in support of its allegations that the BJP intentionally supplied Delhi with ammonia-contaminated water “in an attempt to create chaos… hoping blame will fall on Aam Aadmi Party.” “Haryana will never forget the insinuations,” Mr Modi said, declaring the fear of defeat in next week’s Assembly election had made the AAP “unhinged.” “Don’t people from Haryana live in Delhi? Can Haryana then poison Delhi’s water? Even the PM drinks this water,” Mr Modi said.
On Monday Mr Kejriwal made an explosive claim – the BJP government in Haryana mixes “poison” in Yamuna water it supplies to Delhi. The reference was to the high levels of ammonia – over 700 times the permissible limit, according to the AAP – as a result of untreated industrial waste and pollution.
Mr Kejriwal’s charge was picked up and repeated by other AAP leaders, including the chief minister Atishi who slammed the BJP for “water terrorism” and wrote to the Election Commission and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, demanding action against the BJP from the former and accusing the latter of prioritising the saffron party’s political game plan over the health of Delhi’s residents.
Mr Saini denied the claims and demanded Mr Kejriwal apologise. “For these blatantly false and disgusting statements, Kejriwal should immediately apologise to the people of Haryana and Delhi… otherwise, we will file a defamation suit,” he said.
The Congress, ally-turned-rival (at least for this election) of the AAP, has also jumped in, with a delegation of its leaders having met the Election Commission to demand action against Mr Kejriwal (if his claim is found to be false) and the BJP (if the ‘poison’ in water charge is proven true).
Meanwhile, the Delhi Jal Board, the body that oversees water supply to the city, has rubbished Mr Kejriwal’s claim. The statement, however, has been questioned by Chief Minister Atishi, who has suggested the water board may have been coerced by the BJP.