Fulfil constitutional duty or step aside: Atishi to Lieutenant Governor

In the ongoing dispute between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Delhi’s Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) and the AAP Government regarding high ammonia in Yamuna water, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has accused L-G VK Saxena of prioritising political interests over public health.

In a letter addressed to the L-G, Atishi demanded that Saxena either fulfil his constitutional duty to protect the citizens of Delhi or step aside.

The AAP-led Delhi Government raised concerns earlier this week about dangerously high ammonia levels in the city’s water supply.

Atishi alleged that despite warnings from the government, these concerns were ignored by the L-G’s office. She pointed out that even the L-G’s own communications acknowledged ammonia levels had reached 7.2 parts per million (ppm)—700% above the permissible limit—yet no corrective action was taken.

“Instead of addressing the pressing issue of dangerously high ammonia levels in Delhi’s water, you have chosen to level baseless accusations and promote a false narrative to deflect from your utter failure in fulfilling your responsibilities,” Atishi wrote.

The CM criticised the L-G for prioritising the interests of the BJP-led Haryana Government over the well-being of Delhi residents. “As the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, your constitutional duty is to the people of Delhi, not to your political masters in the BJP,” she asserted.

Atishi further claimed that despite multiple warnings from the Delhi Government about the contamination of Yamuna water, the L-G had shown “deliberate inaction.” She added that it was only after intervention from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that the L-G acknowledged the crisis, though he attempted to downplay its severity.

“You had two choices: prioritise public interest or bow to political interests. Unfortunately, you chose the latter,” Atishi stated.

“Had you spent your energy investigating the devastating effects of high ammonia levels on public health, instead of attacking Arvind Kejriwal, you would know that such contamination is dangerous,” Atishi said.

Atishi also criticised the L-G’s response, accusing his office of attempting to downplay the severity of the crisis by citing a Delhi Jal Board report that minimised the extent of contamination.

She accused the L-G of failing to hold Haryana accountable for the water contamination while instead targeting the Delhi government. “We will continue to fight for the right of Delhiites to safe and clean drinking water, whether or not it aligns with your political agenda,” she added.

In her letter, Atishi invoked historical context, warning the L-G about his legacy. “This crisis is not about politics; it is about the lives of millions. You have one opportunity to act as an administrator, or you could go down in history as someone with blood on their hands. The last time such devastation befell Delhi was in 1739, when the Iranian invader Nadir Shah massacred the city. It is time you rise above your party’s agenda and take meaningful action to resolve the water crisis.”