Get Instant Loan up to ₹10 Lakh!
Delhi Elections 2025: EC notice to Arvind Kejriwal on Yamuna poisoning claims, seeks ‘proof’ by 8 pm tomorrow
- Delhi Elections 2025: Election Commission of India has asked Arvind Kejriwal to substantiate claims of alleged poisoning of Yamuna river water being supplied by Haryana to Delhi.
Delhi Elections 2025: The Election Commission of India has asked Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal to substantiate claims of alleged poisoning of Yamuna river water supplied by Haryana to Delhi. The poll body has sought a response and proof from the AAP national convenor by 8 pm tomorrow, January 29.
Acting on complaints by the BJP leaders and Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit, the Election Commission Tuesday wrote to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to provide evidence for his allegation that the Haryana government “poisoned” Delhi’s water supply.
The AAP on Monday accused the ruling BJP in Haryana of intentionally draining industrial waste into the Yamuna, with Kejriwal alleging that it is trying to kill people by “mixing poison” in the river.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi alleged on Monday that the BJP is “deliberately disrupting” Delhi's water supply as a “historic loss” awaits the saffron party in the February 5 assembly polls in the national capital.
Kejriwal had alleged that the BJP is trying to keep the people of Delhi thirsty as it indulges in “dirty politics”. "BJP people in Haryana are mixing poison in the water and sending it to Delhi. If people in Delhi drink this water, many will die. Can anything be more disgusting than this?"
“The poison that is being mixed in the water cannot even be cleaned in water treatment plants. For the safety of the people of Delhi, the water supply has to be stopped in many areas,” Kejriwal said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Shah while slamming Arvind Kejriwal said, “He says his claim of Haryana government ‘mixing poison’ in Yamuna based on DJB report, he must make the report public, must tell people of Delhi what kind of poison was mixed.”
Delhi Elections 2025: Is Haryana ‘poisoning’ Delhi waters?
The latest war of words is an extension of the tussle between the Delhi and Haryana over the river, waged politically as well as legally since 1995, almost immediately after Delhi got a Legislative Assembly in 1993.
On March 31, 1995, the Supreme Court directed Haryana to ensure a regular flow of water in the Yamuna River to address Delhi's drinking water shortage. The court ordered Delhi to receive its water allocation immediately, approximately 2.5 times the seasonal amount, from March to June 1995.
Within months, two contempt petitions were filed before the Supreme Court alleging wilful violation of its order. But, the Court dismissed the pleas.
With the water level in the Wazirabad reservoir falling, the DJB moved the Supreme Court again in April 2018, alleging that Delhi was getting only one-third of its share of Yamuna waters.
In November 2021, the Yamuna River issue gained attention when Raghav Chadha, then vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board and current AAP Rajya Sabha MP, claimed that neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana were polluting the river.
In July 2023, the Haryana and Delhi governments, typically at odds over water shortages, clashed over flooding in Delhi. The AAP government accused Haryana of deliberately releasing water from the Hathnikund Barrage in Yamunanagar, leading to extensive flooding in the capital.
In June 2024, then-Delhi water minister Atishi accused the Haryana government of “conspiring against Delhi” by not releasing its share of the Yamuna waters and began an indefinite hunger strike.
Catch all the live action on Elections and get exclusive coverage on Assembly Election Results 2024 with Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Business NewsElectionsDelhi Elections 2025: EC notice to Arvind Kejriwal on Yamuna poisoning claims, seeks ‘proof’ by 8 pm tomorrow
First Published:28 Jan 2025, 08:55 PM IST
- Top Gainers
- Top Losers
- 52 Week High