Arvind Kejriwal Challenges Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi to Drink Yamuna Water
In a bold move that has intensified the political discourse in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has publicly challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to drink Yamuna water to prove its safety taking to India Today he said. This challenge comes in the wake of Kejriwal’s allegations that the water from the Yamuna River, which supplies Delhi, is being deliberately “poisoned” by the BJP-led government in Haryana.
Kejriwal claimed that the ammonia levels in the Yamuna River have alarmingly reached 7 parts per million (PPM), a concentration he equated to “poison”. He insists this spike in pollution is a deliberate act by Haryana to disrupt the water supply in Delhi ahead of the Assembly elections on February 5, where water quality is a pivotal issue.
The challenge has stirred a political storm. Kejriwal’s accusations have been echoed by AAP ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, who have supported his call for public demonstration of the water’s safety by opposition leaders. Kejriwal’s direct question was, “Amit Shah ji, Rajiv Kumar ji, Rahul Gandhi, Sandeep Dikshit ji, show us that you can drink this water with 7 ppm ammonia in front of the media.”
Countering these allegations, Haryana’s BJP leadership has strongly denied any wrongdoing. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini has threatened legal action against Kejriwal for his remarks, which he deemed baseless. Furthermore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has criticized Kejriwal, claiming such statements insult the nation and stating that he himself drinks Yamuna water.
Kejriwal referenced a letter from the Jal Board CEO to substantiate his claims, noting that the ammonia levels were around 3 ppm but increased drastically after January 21. He warned that such high levels of ammonia could lead to dangerous chemical reactions during chlorination at water treatment plants, posing significant health risks.
This challenge has not only escalated the political rhetoric but also raised public concern about water quality in Delhi. With elections on the horizon, the issue of clean water has become central to political campaigns, with Kejriwal leveraging it to criticize the BJP’s governance both in Haryana and at the center. His challenge, while controversial, has effectively brought attention to the environmental and health implications of river pollution.
As Delhi prepares to vote, this incident underscores the intertwining of environmental issues with political strategies. The public awaits any response from Shah or Gandhi, while the debate continues on who is responsible for the river’s condition and what measures will be taken to ensure safe drinking water for Delhi’s millions. This situation highlights the need for transparent, accountable water management practices, especially in areas like Delhi, where river water is a critical resource.
