Sachdeva takes a dip in Yamuna; drama, says AAP

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva on Thursday took a dip the Yamuna at a ghat near ITO, “seeking forgiveness” for the “Corruption” of the Delhi government, which he said deprived the city of the funds meant for the cleaning of the river.   

The BJP also set up a stage there with two chairs for the Chief Minister Atishi and her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal to remind them of the promise to clear the river of pollutants, according to a party statement.

This came a day after the BJP dared Ms. Atishi to take a dip in the Yamuna while blaming the Delhi government for the river pollution.    

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) junked Mr. Sachdeva’s act as mere “theatrics” and accused the BJP of telling lies over the issue.

The issue has snowballed into a major political row after a thick layer of toxic white froth appeared in the Yamuna at Kalindi Kunj ahead of Chhath Puja, which will be celebrated immediately after Deepavali.

The festival is predominantly celebrated by Purvanchalis, the Bhojpuri-speaking people from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and parts of Jharkhand. A large number of them have settled in Delhi, making them one of the largest voter bases in the Capital.

Ms. Atishi has already accused BJP-led Haryana and Uttar Pradesh of discharging industrial waste into the Yamuna, leading to unprecedented pollution in the river.

However, Mr. Sachdeva held the Delhi government responsible for the river pollution and challenged Mr. Kejriwal to take a dip in it, saying that he had promised people that he would clean it before this year’s Chhath Puja so that they could bathe in it.

He said the Delhi government has received ₹8,500 crore for the Centre so far for its cleaning but failed to do its duty. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor too slammed the Delhi government over the issue, saying, “We have been waiting for Kejriwal and Atishi to come and have a look at the condition of the Yamuna. Two chairs and a red carpet have also been put here to welcome them.”  

Published - October 25, 2024 01:29 am IST