Arvind Kejriwal’s remarks about the Yamuna water and challenging Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to drink it have sparked quite a bit of controversy. His claims about the hazardous levels of ammonia in the river reflect his ongoing concerns about the water quality, especially in the context of the upcoming Delhi elections. The issue of water pollution, particularly in the Yamuna, is a significant problem for Delhi, with various factors contributing to its deteriorating state, including pollution from neighboring states like Haryana.
Kejriwal’s challenge is also a political move, aiming to highlight the lack of accountability regarding the condition of the river. It’s clear that this issue is being used as a tool to both criticize opponents and rally support for his government’s handling of Delhi’s environmental issues. How do you think this will impact the ongoing political discourse, especially with elections around the corner? Arvind Kejriwal challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, and others to publicly drink Yamuna water containing 7 parts per million (ppm) of ammonia, as he accused them of sending contaminated water to Delhi while claiming he was lying. He said, “Amit Shah ji, Rajiv Kumar ji, Rahul Gandhi, Sandeep Dikshit ji, show us that you can drink this water with 7 ppm ammonia in front of the media. You are sending this water to Delhi and yet claiming Kejriwal is lying.”
When questioned about the basis for his accusations against Haryana, which is governed by the BJP, Kejriwal responded, “If not Haryana, then who is responsible, since the water flows to Delhi from Panipat?”
“If such contaminated water reaches water treatment plants, it can be extremely deadly when chlorination takes place,” Kejriwal said. He cited a letter from the Jal Board CEO as proof.
The former chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, alleged that the ammonia levels in the water supplied to Delhi were around 3 ppm but spiked to 7 ppm after January 21. He claimed this was part of a conspiracy to disrupt the operations of Delhi’s water treatment plants and stir public outrage against the AAP.
Kejriwal first made these allegations during a recent election rally in Delhi and has since reiterated them. His remarks prompted strong backlash from the BJP, with Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini threatening to sue Kejriwal and demanding an apology to the public.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized Kejriwal, calling his statements an insult to the country. The Prime Minister also claimed that he himself drinks Yamuna water.
With Delhi’s Assembly elections set for February 5, access to clean water remains a central issue in the political discourse leading up to the polls.
