AAP ASKS DELHI CM REKHA GUPTA TO DRINK CLEAN YAMUNA WATER

POLITICAL SLUGFEST OVER DELHI’S YAMUNA RIVER TAKES DRAMATIC TURN

• The political slugfest over Delhi’s Yamuna river took a dramatic turn on Friday when Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders reached Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s residence carrying a bottle of water collected from the river.
• The AAP leaders challenged the Delhi CM to drink the water if the BJP believed the Yamuna had been cleaned.

WHAT DID THE AAP SAY DURING THE PROTEST?

• A video showed AAP’s Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj holding up a transparent bottle filled with murky, greyish water.
• "This is water collected from the Yamuna flowing through Delhi," Bharadwaj said, as he and other AAP leaders headed to Gupta’s home.
• "We want to offer this water to Rekha Gupta ji. If she says the Yamuna is clean, she should drink it."
• The move came a day after Delhi BJP spokesperson Anil Gupta performed aachman, a ritual sip, of Yamuna water on camera, claiming the river was fit for rituals after months of cleaning under the BJP government.
• Bharadwaj, however, accused the BJP of spreading misinformation ahead of Chhath Puja. "Because of BJP's lies, lakhs of Purvanchal women and young children will drink Yamuna water thinking the CM has cleaned it. But if they drink that water, they can fall fatally ill," he said.
• Bharadwaj cited a report by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to counter BJP’s claims. "As per the report dated 23.10.2025 of Delhi Govt's DPCC, the water in Yamuna is NOT even suitable for bathing. This report shows Yamuna water is very polluted and contains human waste in alarming quantity," Bharadwaj wrote on X.
• The AAP leader alleged that the BJP governments in Delhi and Haryana had diverted water from Uttar Pradesh’s Eastern Canal into the Yamuna “to create an illusion of cleanliness” before the festival. "Haryana's BJP government diverted all water meant for UP farmers from Hathnikund into the Yamuna to make it appear clean for a few days," he said.

HOW DID THE BJP RETALIATE TO AAP’S CLAIMS?

• Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva dismissed the allegations, crediting Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s administration for what he called a “historic turnaround” in the Yamuna’s condition. "The dissolved oxygen level in the Yamuna is now between 4.5 and 5.5, and the pH is 7.5 — close to normal. The water has no foul smell. This is the result of the Rekha Gupta government's consistent effort," he said.
• With Chhath Puja, a major festival for the Purvanchali community, set to begin October 25, the Yamuna’s condition has become both a religious and political flashpoint.
• The issue has also gained traction ahead of the Bihar Assembly Elections scheduled for November 6 and November 11.
• Former AAP MLA Vinay Mishra accused the BJP of “pretending to love” Purvanchalis because of the upcoming polls. "For years, BJP leaders tried to stop Chhath Puja in Delhi, demolished ghats, and insulted people from Bihar and eastern UP. Today, they are pretending to care for Purvanchalis only because elections are near," he said.
• In response, Sachdeva alleged that the previous AAP government had "carried out loot in the name of Yamuna Maiya and Chhathi Maiya" and that corruption was the reason AAP lost power.
• Earlier this week, Chief Minister Gupta announced the development of 17 model Chhath ghats along the Yamuna and withdrawal of past case files against devotees performing rituals on the riverbanks.

Editor’s Note

The Yamuna, once the lifeline of Delhi, has now become the symbol of a deep political divide. What should have been a shared mission to restore one of India’s most sacred rivers has instead turned into a battle of optics, accusations, and symbolic gestures. AAP’s act of bringing polluted water to the Chief Minister’s door and BJP’s claims of a “clean river” reveal how environmental issues are too often reduced to political theatre. But behind the headlines lies a painful truth — the Yamuna continues to suffocate under pollution, bureaucracy, and blame. The river doesn’t need political stunts; it needs accountability, science-driven action, and public honesty. Festivals like Chhath Puja remind us that the Yamuna is not just a political talking point — it is faith, livelihood, and heritage for millions. When leaders use the river as a prop, they risk forgetting what it truly represents: the fragile bond between people, nature, and governance. A clean Yamuna will not come from challenges or cameras — only from collective will.
• #yamunariver #aapvsbjp #delhipolitics #cleanyamuna