The 'poison in the Yamuna water' controversy rumbled on Wednesday evening after Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini took a sip of water "without hesitation" and directly from the river as it flows past Delhi's Palla village. "... I drank the water of the holy Yamuna on the Haryana border. (Delhi Chief Minister) Atishiji did not come. She must be making up a new lie (but) lies have no legs. That is why the lies of AAP-da (the BJP's new pejorative for the Aam Aadmi Party) are not working," he said on X.
"The god-like people of Delhi have recognised these deceivers. The end of AAP's era of deceit is certain on February 5 (when Delhi votes). People of Delhi will punish Haryana's ungrateful son, Arvind Kejriwal, because our brotherhood has been strong for centuries..." Mr Saini declared.
In the video shared widely online, Mr Saini is seen at the bank with an aide crouching unsteadily by his side. The BJP leader bends over, splashes the water about for a few seconds and then takes a sip.
As the 57-second video plays out, Mr Saini then repeats the gesture, smacks his lips, and then scoops up some more water and then sprinkles it over his body. He then consults with a second aide who shows him a file (contents unknown at this time), and then, again, splashes his hands in the water.
Arvind Kejriwal's response followed soon after.
In a post on X the AAP leader claimed the Haryana Chief Minister had only pretended to drink the water, but actually spat it back out. "They want to make the people of Delhi drink the same poisonous water which they themselves cannot drink. I will never let this happen," he declared.
Mr Saini's government has been accused, by AAP boss Arvind Kejriwal, of mixing "poison" in water supplied to the national capital. The "poison" refers to high levels of ammonia; according to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, the "current level is 7.2 parts per million... 700 per cent above the permissible limit".
READ | Row Over Kejriwal's "Haryana Mixing Poison In Yamuna" Claim
The allegation - which led to a shrill exchange between the AAP and the BJP, with Delhi Chief Minister Atishi accusing the latter of "water terrorism" and a fierce retort from Union Home Minister Amit Shah - was dragged to the notice of the Election Commission as a potential violation of the Model Code before next week's Assembly election. The EC gave Mr Kejriwal till 8 pm (tonight) to provide proof, warning that failure to do so could be seen as making dangerous comments and invite a three-year jail term.
Meanwhile, the BJP - led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who earlier today thundered that he too drinks the same water and that his party wouldn't dare 'poison' the water he consumes - has hit back hard, counter accusing Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP of spreading lies and false information.
READ | "Can Haryana BJP Govt Poison Water I Drink?" PM Blasts AAP
For his part, Mr Saini has firmly denied any claim of 'poisoning' the water and demanded Mr Kejriwal apologise for his "blatantly false and disgusting statements". The Haryana government has also indicated it will file a case against the AAP leader for having spread "panic" among the people.
Mr Kejriwal made his dramatic claim Monday.
The BJP, he declared, had done "something that may never have been done in history". It was only the "vigilance" of the Delhi Jal Board, he said, that had "saved" the city's residents.
However, the water body refused to play ball, insisting the AAP leader's statements were "factually incorrect" and "without any basis". That refusal was criticised by Atishi, who suggested the Jal Board had been coerced into making that statement by the BJP, via the Lieutenant Governor's office.
READ | In Yamuna Row, Atishi's "Nadir Shah" Jab At Lt Governor
"Had you spent your energy investigating the devastating effects of high ammonia levels on health instead of attacking Kejriwal, you would have known such contamination leads to serious risks... can cause organ damage, and are dangerous for young children..." she told Lt Governor VK Saxena.
The senior AAP leader was responding to Mr Saxena's charge last night - that Arvind Kejriwal's claims of "poison" being mixed in Yamuna River water supplied to Delhi by BJP-ruled Haryana were false and a "threat... also to national peace and security".
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