AAP, BJP spar over Yamuna cleanliness

A political dispute has emerged in Delhi amid the Chhath Puja festivities, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of constructing a separate ghat, filled with filtered water, for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and making other devotees use the polluted Yamuna river for the rituals.

AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that a “fake Yamuna” has been built at Vasudev Ghat near the ISBT, secretly filled with water from the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant to ensure the Prime Minister’s safety during the rituals. He said the move was aimed at influencing voters ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.

Bharadwaj claimed that devotees from Purvanchal and other sections of the public are left to stand in the real Yamuna, which the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has identified as “polluted” and capable of causing serious diseases.

Criticising BJP leader and Water Minister Parvesh Verma, Bharadwaj alleged that during the AAP government’s tenure the former had called a defoaming chemical as “poison”, but now the same chemical was being used to remove foam from the Yamuna.

He said workers were being made to spray the chemical as early as 5 am to hide the foam from public view. Bharadwaj added that water from the Hathnikund Barrage, normally supplied to farmers in Uttar Pradesh, is being diverted to the Yamuna to create the appearance of a cleaner river without reducing pollution levels.

He claimed he had challenged Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and other BJP leaders to drink water from the Yamuna in front of the media, but no one dared to do it.

“The BJP is playing with people’s faith, risking their health and lives for votes in Bihar. Those who can deceive Chhathi Maiya for politics can betray anyone,” he said.

In response, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the Yamuna was turned into a “dirty drain” during the previous AAP government and that its condition had improved under the current administration. He cited Dr Anil Gupta, BJP spokesperson and environmental expert, performing ‘aachman’ (a sipping ritual) at Kalindi Kunj and ITO ghats to demonstrate that quality of water is fine.

Sachdeva said, “The Yamuna water now has no foul smell, its oxygen level ranges between 4.5 and 5.5 and the pH is 7.5 — close to normal.”

He added that the current government lifted restrictions on worship at the river banks and accused the previous administration of “committing corruption in the name of Yamuna Maiya and Chhath Maiya”.