BJP, AAP continue to square off over Yamuna pollution in Delhi

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday challenged former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and current chief minister Atishi to take a dip in the polluted Yamuna while the party’s Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva took a dip in the river at the ITO Ghat in protest against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government’s failure to tackle the rising levels of pollution in the river and city’s air.
Hitting back, the AAP said that the BJP was indulging in theatrics, and asked why the Yamuna develops excessive foam only around Diwali and Chhath each year.
On Thursday, the BJP had placed two chairs with a red carpet inviting Kejriwal and Atishi to the ITO ghat to take a dip in the river. The BJP said that Sachdeva waited for nearly 30 minutes for the two, then addressed the media and the gathered BJP workers and members of Chhath committees at the ghat, and later took a dip in the foul-smelling waters of the Yamuna.
“We had challenged chief minister Atishi and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal to visit and inspect the poor condition of the river. We have set up a red carpet for these royal people. We have also arranged two chairs as this tradition was initiated by chief minister Atishi herself. Although Kejriwal is on bail, he was the chief minister of Delhi. We will wait for some more time if they come,” he said
He said that Kejriwal had released a video in 2021 promising to clean the Yamuna by 2025. “Kejriwal had even said that if the Yamuna wasn’t clean by 2025, don’t vote for AAP. He has misled the public and betrayed them in the name of Yamuna cleaning.”
The BJP said that the Delhi government has wasted ₹8,500 crore given to it by the central government for cleaning the Yamuna. Sachdeva said that the government should provide an account of the ₹8,500 crore. “They should show how much work has been done by the government to clear Yamuna. After 10 days, the festival of Chhath will be celebrated. We are also worried how people will stand in such water. People cannot even touch such polluted water,” he added.
Sachdeva said that the AAP government has only engaged in corruption instead of tackling air pollution over the last 10 years. “Under NCAP, they could not even spend the ₹37 crore provided by the central government. AAP is only busy in publicity. They should visit the Sabarmati riverfront. The BJP-led Delhi government will develop Yamuna on the lines of the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad.”
In response, the AAP said in a statement that the BJP president only indulges in theatrics and speaks blatant lies whenever he opens his mouth. “The BJP are intentionally doing this to defame the AAP with no concern for festivities or citizens. How come Yamuna develops excessive foam only around Diwali and Chhath each year?” an AAP spokesperson said. The statement added that the BJP misused central agencies to imprison all the top leaders of the party and stop its free schemes for the people.
The politics over the polluted river has intensified over the last week. Chhath will be celebrated between November 5 and 8 and involves offering prayers to the Sun while standing in knee-deep water. Scenes of Chhath devotees standing in the polluted frothy waters of the Yamuna near Kalindi Kunj ha caused widespread public outrage every year. The blame game over foam formation, too, has become an annual feature.
Earlier this week, Atishi had alleged that polluted waste water in Yamuna was being discharged by BJP-led governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.