Daijiworld Media Network – Delhi

Delhi, Oct 20: Delhi’s Yamuna River has once again become a political flashpoint as AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj challenged the BJP-led government to prove the river’s cleanliness ahead of Chhath Puja. Bharadwaj dared Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Minister Parvesh Verma to “drink a litre of Yamuna water” to demonstrate its safety.

Bharadwaj alleged that the government was misleading the public by continuing the same chemical-spraying method previously criticised by the BJP. “The chemical which was sprayed by the previous Delhi government is being sprayed by the current government.

If Rekha Gupta says the Yamuna is clean, I ask her and Parvesh Verma to come and drink a litre of Yamuna water. I will then be convinced it’s clean,” he said. He added that Parvesh Verma had called the same chemical “poisonous” in 2022 when used by the AAP.

The BJP hit back, accusing AAP of wasting over Rs 6,500 crore on failed clean-up projects during its decade-long rule. Party spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor mocked Bharadwaj, questioning the AAP’s track record. “Who drinks water directly from a river using a glass? The AAP deceived people for ten years. What have they done apart from the Rs 6,500-crore scam?” he wrote on X.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva lauded the current government’s efforts, asserting that the Yamuna would be fit for bathing by 2026. He also highlighted the administration’s focus on cultural traditions amid ongoing Deep Utsav celebrations.

With Chhath Puja approaching, the Yamuna has become a symbolic battleground, especially with the Bihar elections on the horizon. The political spat underscores the broader question: Will the politics of pollution and governance influence voters downstream beyond Delhi?