Watch: After BJP MP's Abusive Tirade, Delhi Official Bathes In Yamuna

The Delhi Jal Board official who was targeted by BJP MP Parvesh Verma for spraying defoaming liquid in the Yamuna river ahead of the Chhath festival, today took a bath in the river to prove that the chemicals used were non-toxic.

DJB Director for Quality Control, Sanjay Sharma, was on Friday berated by BJP's Parvesh Verma and Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga who showed up at the river bank and started shouting at officials.

A video of the heated interaction was later posted by DJB vice-chairman AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj on Twitter.

दिल्ली सरकार छठ पूजा की तैयारी कर रही है और भाजपा के नेता काम रोक रहे हैं , बदतमीज़ी कर रहे हैं। भाजपा चाहती है पूर्वांचली भाइयों को परेशानी हो और त्योहार ख़राब हो । pic.twitter.com/JVrEtMIdsz

— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) October 28, 2022

In the video, Mr Verma is seen hounding Mr Sharma for spraying the defoamer, which he labelled as "poisonous", and challenging Mr Sharma to take a dip in the river.

Taking on the challenge two days later, Mr Sharma used the river's water to take a bath and reassured devotees that the water was safe for the holy dip.

A video shows Mr Sharma waiting at the river bank as officials fill up a container of water from the river in a boat. The DJB official then proceeds to take a bath with the river water while those surrounding him break into applause.

"The chemical being sprayed is not harmful at all. This is a non-toxic, food-grade chemical used in food items as well as cosmetics. I welcome the Purvanchali devotees to take a dip in the river without any fear," Mr Sharma told journalists after taking the bath.

The AAP and the BJP have been targeting each other over polluted Yamuna water ahead of Chhath Puja.

Meanwhile, no offerings are allowed to be immersed in the river as part of the Chhath celebrations, as per the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Delhi Minister Kailash Gehlot and Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday visited Chhath Ghats around the city to take stock of preparations regarding sanitation, lighting, water supply and installation of CCTVs among others