‘Factually Wrong’: Delhi Jal Board, BJP Lambast Arvind Kejriwal Over ‘Poison In Yamuna’ Claim

Last Updated:January 27, 2025, 23:55 IST

The claim was soon refuted by Delhi Jal Board (DJB) saying that Kejriwal’s allegations are factually wrong and without any basis.

Another political storm hit Delhi amid the upcoming assembly elections after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the BJP-led Haryana government of poisoning the water of Yamuna which is being supplied to the national capital.

What Did AAP Allege?

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP government in Haryana of releasing toxic water through river Yamuna that could have caused a catastrophy in Delhi leading to even deaths.

He further alleged that the BJP is indulging in such sinister act to blame the AAP government in case of any harm to people or deaths in the national capital. He lamented that the saffron party has stooped to such dirty politics never seen before in the country.

“BJP people in Haryana are mixing poison in the water and sending it to Delhi. If people in Delhi drink this water, many will die. Can anything be more disgusting than this? The poison that is being mixed in the water cannot even be cleaned in water treatment plants. For the safety of the people of Delhi, the water supply has to be stopped in many areas,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.

He further expressed gratitude to the engineers of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) who, he claimed, did not let the toxic water coming from Haryana mix with the water supplied to Delhi. Otherwise, things could have been worse, he contended.

“They (the DJB engineers, prevented water from entering Delhi on the border, else it could have led to a genocide. If the toxins had merged with the river water, even the water treatment plants could not have treated it,” he added.

At a press conference on Monday, Delhi CM Atishi alleged that the BJP is “deliberately disrupting” Delhi’s water supply as a “historic loss” awaits the saffron party in the upcoming Assembly polls in the capital.

“The bewildered BJP is resorting to tactics, such as stopping the water supply. Haryana is intentionally draining industrial waste into the Yamuna to harm the people of Delhi and influence the election outcome unfairly,” she said.

Delhi Jal Board Refutes Claim

The claim was soon refuted by Delhi Jal Board (DJB) saying that Kejriwal’s allegations are factually wrong and without any basis.

DJB CEO Shilpa Shinde wrote Delhi Chief Secretary saying “statements by AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal alleging that Haryana has released poison into raw water reaching Delhi through Yamuna are factually incorrect, without any basis and misleading.”

“The matter is being brought to your attention, given the fact that such false statements lead to fear mongering amongst city residents and also adversely impact relations with the upper riparian state of Haryana. Given that this matter is likely to affect inter-state relations, these facts may be brought to the attention of Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor in terms of the Transaction of Business Rules,” the letter read.

BJP Hits Out At AAP

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said it is their old habit of blaming others and then running away. “I asked them (the AAP government in Delhi) to send their chief secretary and said I will ask my chief secretary to check the quality of the water…. They are talking about ammonia, but there is no shortage of water,” Saini told reporters.

Saini further said that Kejriwal should apologise to the public or else he would would file a defamation case against him over the fraudulent remarks.

Hitting back at AAP and Kejriwal, BJP leader and Delhi MLA Vijender Gupta accused the former Delhi CM of misleading the people. The Rohini MLA also accused the AAP supremo of “promoting anarchy”. The BJP leader said that Kejriwal was setting “false narrative” and using it as a diversionary tactic in order to evade questions on vandalization of Ambedkar’s statue in Punjab.

Taking to X, MLA Gupta wrote, “Kejriwal has proved his mental imbalance by making serious and baseless allegations against the BJP government of Haryana of poisoning the Yamuna. Fearing electoral defeat, he is now trying to mislead the public by promoting anarchy(sic).”

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also traded guns at AAP saying, “Delhi Jal Board has issued a statement castigating Arvind Kejriwal for his irresponsible statement. It reads: These statements are factually incorrect, without any basis and misleading. The fact of the matter is that DJB regularly monitors incoming water quality and regulates supplies depending on the various parameters. Notwithstanding, it is Kejriwal’s attempt to intentionally spread mass fear and panic, which could lead to violence. It is malicious disinformation at another level.”

Delhi Polls 2025

The Delhi Assembly polls are scheduled for February 5, with the results set to be announced on February 8. As the campaigning intensifies, allegations and counter-allegations add fuel to the capital’s political atmosphere.