Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP convener, has stirred a political storm with his allegations against the BJP-ruled Haryana government, accusing it of deliberately polluting the Yamuna River with poison to disrupt Delhi's water supply.
Kejriwal’s claim, citing elevated ammonia levels in the river, has led to a fierce exchange of accusations ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections.
Kejriwal alleged that the Haryana government, led by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, was intentionally poisoning the water to tarnish his image and cause harm to Delhi residents.
Addressing an election rally, Kejriwal said the Delhi Jal Board’s tests revealed suspicious contamination in the water supply from Haryana.
He accused the BJP of playing with people’s lives for political gain, stating, “They thought if people in Delhi died, the blame would fall on me, defaming me before the elections.”
In a dramatic response to BJP’s threat of a defamation case, Kejriwal declared he was ready to face any consequences, saying, “Hang me if you want, but I will not let the people of Delhi die. The BJP is playing politics over water, which is a sin.”
The BJP, however, has strongly denied the accusations. Haryana Chief Minister Saini condemned Kejriwal’s remarks, calling them baseless and offensive. Saini asserted that the people of Haryana regard the Yamuna as sacred and would never pollute its waters.
He demanded an apology from Kejriwal, accusing him of spreading falsehoods out of desperation. Saini warned that if Kejriwal failed to apologise, a defamation suit would be filed against him.
Adding to the BJP's criticism, Haryana Minister Shruti Chaudhary called Kejriwal’s comments irresponsible and claimed they could incite unrest. Chaudhary also criticised the Delhi government for its failure to clean the Yamuna despite receiving significant funds from the Centre, amounting to Rs 8,000 crores.
The controversy has drawn the attention of the Election Commission, which has instructed the Haryana government to submit a factual report by January 28 on the allegations of increased ammonia levels in the water supplied to Delhi.
This move followed a joint appeal by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who demanded accountability over the issue.
The AAP-BJP clash comes amid the heated campaign for the Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February 5
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