AAP Challenges Delhi CM to Drink Yamuna Water, Accuses BJP of Misleading Purvanchalis

New Delhi – The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has intensified its criticism of the BJP government in Delhi over the persistent pollution of the Yamuna River, particularly with the Chhath Puja festival approaching. AAP's Delhi unit chief, Saurabh Bharadwaj, has challenged Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to publicly drink water from the Yamuna to substantiate claims that the river has been cleaned.

Bharadwaj, along with Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha, addressed a press conference where they accused the BJP of jeopardizing the health of the Purvanchali community for political advantage. Purvanchalis are individuals originating from Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand who reside in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).

The AAP leaders arrived at Gupta's residence with a bottle filled with murky water from the Yamuna River, daring her to take a sip. Bharadwaj stated that if the Chief Minister truly believed the Yamuna was clean, she should have no reservations about drinking the water.

Bharadwaj highlighted a Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) report that allegedly confirms the presence of sewage in the Yamuna's water. He argued that millions of people from the Purvanchal community would be endangered by the BJP leaders' "lies and deceit". Citing a DPCC report dated October 23, 2025, Bharadwaj pointed out that the Yamuna's water is not even suitable for bathing and contains alarming quantities of human waste.

AAP has also accused the BJP governments in Delhi and Haryana of diverting water from Uttar Pradesh's Eastern Canal into the Yamuna to create a false impression of cleanliness ahead of Chhath Puja. Bharadwaj alleged that Haryana's BJP government rerouted water meant for UP farmers from the Hathnikund Barrage into the Yamuna to make the river appear cleaner for a few days. He claimed the Eastern Canal originating from Hathnikund was completely dry and the BJP would spray defoaming agents to hide the froth.

Conversely, the BJP has hailed the improved condition of the Yamuna under the Rekha Gupta government. Delhi BJP spokesperson Anil Gupta performed 'aachman', a ritual sip, of Yamuna water on camera, asserting the river was now fit for rituals after months of cleaning efforts. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva claimed the previous AAP government had turned the Yamuna into a "dirty drain", and only under the current administration has the river's condition "visibly improved".

AAP MLA Vinay Mishra has also accused the BJP of displaying a false affection for the Purvanchali community, driven by political motivations related to the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Mishra stated that the BJP's "newfound affection" for Purvanchalis was a "sham" and contrasted it with the BJP's alleged historical "hatred" and "contempt" for the community. He cited instances where BJP leaders allegedly disrupted Chhath Puja celebrations, damaged Chhath ghats, and made derogatory comments about Purvanchalis.

AAP claims that the BJP government obstructed their plans to clean the Yamuna when they were in power. They allege the BJP is spreading lies for political gain.

In response to AAP's challenge, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor questioned why anyone would drink water directly from a river. He accused AAP of misusing funds allocated for cleaning the Yamuna during their ten years in power, stating that the river has become a "dirty drain" despite spending over Rs 6,500 crore. Kapoor asserted that by the end of 2026, the BJP government will make the Yamuna clean enough for people to take a dip.