Row Over Arvind Kejriwal's "Haryana Mixing Poison In Yamuna Water" Claim

The AAP and BJP continue to bicker as the clock ticks down to next week's Delhi Assembly election, with ex-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal now accusing the latter of "mixing poison" in the city's water supply, in an attempt to "create chaos... hoping the blame will fall" on his party's administration.

Speaking to reporters Monday, he said the BJP had done "something that may never have been done in history". He claimed the saffron party - in power in neighbouring Haryana - had added a poisonous substance to the Yamuna river that flows through that state and into the national capital.

"The people of Delhi get drinking water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh... but the Haryana government has mixed poison in the water coming to Delhi from the Yamuna and sent it here... it is only due to the vigilance of our Delhi Jal Board engineers that this water was stopped."

"It (the allegedly poisoned water) was stopped at the Delhi border... we did not allow it to enter the city. We have seen such things in wars but today, what the BJP did by mixing poison in Delhi's water supply, is an attempt to create chaos in Delhi, hoping blame will fall on the AAP."

Delhi: AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal says, "In the upcoming elections in Delhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has done something that may never have been done in history. The people of Delhi get drinking water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The Haryana government,… pic.twitter.com/vswQA87M7h

— IANS (@ians_india) January 27, 2025

According to reports, the "poison" Mr Kejriwal was referring to is ammonia.

Meanwhile, the chief executive officer of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) - which supplies water in the national capital, wrote to the Delhi chief secretary, terming the statements of Atishi and Mr Kejriwal "false", saying they might lead to fear-mongering among people.

High ammonia levels in the Yamuna has been a problem as the Delhi government scrambles to ensure round-the-clock, and clean, water supply for the city's residents; by some accounts the capital needs over 3,000 million litres of water per day, whereas the usual supply is only about 2,000 MLD.

The shortfall has been exacerbated by high ammonia levels, the AAP has claimed.

BJP Slams "Baseless" Charges

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has denied Mr Kejriwal's claim. "It is their nature and thinking to accuse and run away..." he said at an event in Chandigarh.

Chandigarh: Regarding Aam Aadmi Party's allegations that Haryana is supplying toxic water to Delhi, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini says, "It is their nature and thinking to accuse and run away..." pic.twitter.com/JO3L8juyvk

— IANS (@ians_india) January 27, 2025

Mr Saini's rebuttal was backed, more forcefully, by Labour Minister Anil Vij. "Arvind Kejriwal is a factory of lies... take journalists and experts to the place where the Yamuna enters Delhi and check the quality of water. Then check in Delhi... they will see the difference," he said.

#WATCH | Chandigarh: Haryana Minister Anil Vij says, "Arvind Kejriwal is a factory of lies... Take all journalists and analysts to the place where Yamuna enters Delhi and check the quality of water, and then check the quality of water in Delhi. They will see the difference. Its… pic.twitter.com/bJiJtaPLXj

— ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2025

"It is not our job to check clean the river in Delhi... it was Kejriwal's, which he couldn't do."

Election Commission Wants Report

Meanwhile, AAP leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and her Punjab counterpart, Bhagwant Mann, met the Election Commission earlier today to make this complaint. The poll body sought a detailed report from the Haryana government by noon tomorrow, i.e., January 28.

The Haryana government, in turn, has decided to sue Arvind Kejriwal for his "poison" allegation, party sources said.

The debate around the cleanliness and potability of Yamuna water is of particular significance now, since these were assurances made by AAP boss Arvind Kejriwal before the 2020 Delhi election.

Neither promise, though, has been fulfilled, and Mr Kejriwal is aware of this issue.

READ | Arvind Kejriwal On 3 Delhi Promises He "Could Not Fulfil"

Last week he admitted to Delhi voters he had failed to ensure Yamuna water is both clean and drinkable, but insisted this will become a reality if his AAP is voted to a third consecutive term.

"I am truthful to my promises. Either I fulfil them or I admit I promised but couldn't do it. I could not fulfill three promises - cleaning the Yamuna, providing clean drinking water, and making Delhi's roads of European standards," Mr Kejriwal said at a rally in Delhi's Laxmi Bai Nagar.

He repeated that admission - a tactic seen as trying to take the sting out of attacks by the BJP on this topic - this morning as he released another section of his party's pre-poll manifesto.

BJP Targets Kejriwal Over Yamuna

Unfortunately for the AAP, Mr Kejriwal's acknowledgement has not stopped the BJP's attacks. Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a jab as he took a dip in the Ganga today during Maha Kumbh.

READ | "Take That World-Famous Dip": Amit Shah's Yamuna Dare To Kejriwal

"He [Mr Kejriwal] promised he would purify River Yamuna in seven years and modify it just like London's River Thames," Mr Shah said at a rally.

#WATCH | #DelhiElections2025 | Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "He promised he would purify the Yamuna River in 7 years and modify it just like London's Thames River... He even said he would take a dip in the Yamuna in front of Delhiites. Arvind Kejriwal, the people of Delhi… pic.twitter.com/44rsVKJy5m

— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2025

"He even said he would take a dip in the Yamuna in front of Delhiites. Arvind Kejriwal, the people of Delhi are waiting for your world-famous dip in the Yamuna. If not in Yamuna, he can go to the Mahakumbh and take a dip over there to get rid of his sins," Mr Shah said.

According to a Delhi Pollution Control Committee report from October 2023, multiple projects to clean the river are running behind schedule. The report filed with the National Green Tribunal drew particular attention to delays by the Delhi Jal Board and the Delhi Development Authority.

This is not the first time a BJP leader has dared Mr Kejriwal to take a dip in the polluted stretch. Earlier, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused him of "turning the holy Yamuna into a dirty drain".

With input from agencies

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