With Chhath Puja approaching, political tensions have escalated in the capital as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) criticized the BJP-led administrations in Delhi and Haryana. AAP accused them of creating a false impression of a clean Yamuna by diverting water from canals in neighboring states to gain favor with citizens and sway voters ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, the head of AAP’s Delhi unit, alleged that the BJP governments in Delhi and Haryana diverted water from Uttar Pradesh’s Eastern Canal to the Yamuna to create a facade of cleanliness before the festival.
He stated, “The BJP’s deception has been exposed. To improve the Yamuna’s condition before Chhath Puja, the BJP halted water flow from Uttar Pradesh’s canal and redirected it via Haryana’s Hathnikund barrage into the Yamuna. This is a political ploy to attract Purvanchali voters ahead of the Bihar polls,” Bharadwaj asserted.
Bharadwaj further accused the BJP of using chemicals to eliminate froth from the river’s surface, labeling it as an attempt to tarnish AAP’s image while deceiving the public. “Rather than cleaning the Yamuna, it’s merely a superficial act for the cameras,” he added.
The BJP has attributed a “remarkable transformation” in the Yamuna’s state to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s government within eight months of assuming power.
Meanwhile, former AAP MLA Vinay Mishra accused the BJP of feigning concern for the Purvanchali community due to the impending Bihar elections.
“For years, BJP leaders obstructed Chhath festivities in Delhi, demolished riverbanks, and disrespected individuals from Bihar and eastern UP. Now, they are pretending to support Purvanchalis,” Mishra remarked.
Chhath Puja, a four-day festival venerating the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, will be observed from October 25 to 28.
CONTENTION OVER WASTE SITES
The AAP, under Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership, also criticized the BJP, the Delhi government, and the central authorities, alleging that they had transformed Delhi into a “garbage capital”.
In a direct jab at the BJP and the central leadership, the AAP posted an image