New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the ‘Yamuna water war’ Wednesday – set off after Arvind Kejriwal claimed this week the BJP mixes “poison” in water it supplies to Delhi – asking voters in the national capital, “Can BJP’s Haryana’s government poison the water the Prime Minister drinks?”
Addressing an election rally in Delhi’s Ghonda neighbourhood, Mr Modi slammed the Aam Aadmi Party leader’s “disgusting charge” and counterattacked by pointing to Mr Kejriwal’s failed promise to clean the Yamuna and so ensure a supply of potable water to every household in the city.
“They asked for votes on the Yamuna… but now they are being shameless about it. They want Delhi to beg for water. AAP has sinned for political gains. History will never forgive them… Delhi will never forgive them,” he thundered to chants of ‘Modi, Modi’. “But the BJP can give you clean water.”
The Prime Minister also ripped into the Aam Aadmi Party and Mr Kejriwal – whom the Election Commission has given till 8 pm to submit proof of allegations the BJP intentionally supplied Delhi with ammonia-contaminated water, “in an attempt to create chaos… hoping blame will fall on us”.
“Haryana will never forget the insinuations,” Mr Modi said, declaring the fear of defeat in next week’s Assembly election had made the AAP “unhinged”. “Don’t people from Haryana live in Delhi? Can Haryana then poison Delhi’s water? Even the PM drinks this water,” Mr Modi said.
In a shrill, all-out attack on Mr Kejriwal – whom the BJP knows it must defeat to end the AAP’s decade-long hold on Delhi – Mr Modi also raked up the ‘sheeshmahal‘ controversy and the alleged liqour policy scam that saw Mr Kejriwal and three of his senior leaders jailed on corruption charges.
But what is the ‘Yamuna water war’?
On Monday Mr Kejriwal made an explosive claim – the BJP government in Haryana mixes “poison” in Yamuna water it supplies to Delhi. The reference was to the high levels of ammonia – over 700 times the permissible limit, according to the AAP – as a result of untreated industrial waste and pollution.
Mr Kejriwal’s charge was picked up and repeated by other AAP leaders, including Chief Minister Atishi, who slammed the BJP for “water terrorism” and wrote to the Election Commission and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, demanding action against the BJP from the former and accusing the latter of prioritising the saffron party’s political gameplan over the health of Delhi’s residents.
The BJP, meanwhile, hit back hard.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini denied the claims and demanded Mr Kejriwal apologise. “For these blatantly false and disgusting statements, Kejriwal should immediately apologise to the people of Haryana and Delhi… otherwise, we will file a defamation suit,” he told news agency ANI.
The Congress, ally-turned-rival (at least for this election) of the AAP, has also jumped in, with a delegation of its leaders having met the Election Commission to demand action against Mr Kejriwal (if his claim is found to be false) and the BJP (if the ‘poison’ in water charge is proven true).
