Yamuna Water Row: What Happened So Far

New Delhi: The Haryana-Delhi dispute over Yamuna river is not new. Now, Delhi’s river waterline has turned to a chief topic of high-octane campaign for the political parties with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday(January 27) accusing the BJP Haryana government of “poisoning” the river reaching Delhi.

Taking the allegation further, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and her Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Tuesday stating that in increase in ammonia in the Yamuna water released by Haryana to Delhi will sabotage the water supply of the people and it will affect the conduct of free and fair elections in the national capital. The letter demanded the CEC’s intervention to resolve the problem. Atishi, in her letter referred Haryana government’s move as an act of “water terrorism” and as “deliberate”.

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Ammonia levels continue to be 6 times above normal in Yamuna waters, at the point it is entering Delhi from Haryana. Such levels are extremely toxic for the human body. This water cannot be treated and supplied to people of Delhi. Otherwise their lives will be at risk.

Have… pic.twitter.com/ZpA5jKPNIp

— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) January 28, 2025

At a press conference, Delhi Chief Minister also stated that the BJP is facing a “crushing defeat” and it is out frustration, the party has resorted to “despicable actions”. Kejriwal also accused that the country has never witnessed such “dirty politics”.

BJP Responds

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini attacked Kejriwal of its failure to make proper arrangements for water distribution, which he said has forced Delhi residents to consume contaminated water. He also claimed that it is  ‘political stunt’ to deflect attention from ruling AAP government’s failures in Delhi.

Haryana Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Vipul Goel has also said that the Haryana government has taken strong notice of the statement of AAP supremo regarding Delhi’s water supply, and has submitted a case against him in the Sonipat court under the Disaster Management Act.

While attending a political rally in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attacked AAP over its poisoning remarks and said, “The AAP-da has crossed limits of lying. They are putting nasty allegations against Haryana, and the country will not forget this. Haryana won’t forget this.”

The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday had asked Kejriwal to give factual evidence to substantiate his allegations. In his reply, AAP supremo referred the DJB CEO’s communication and argued that the major cause of this water contamination, as identified by DJB’s letter, is the indiscriminate discharge of untreated domestic and industrial waste into the Yamuna river.

“The systemic failure in controlling this pollution has resulted in a public health crisis of unprecedented scale. The urgent cessation of these polluting activities is an absolute necessity, and the upper riparian authorities bear the primary responsibility to ensure that Delhi’s water supply remains uncontaminated and safe,” Kejriwal said in the reply.

Kejriwal also claimed that his statement did not violate any Code of Conduct and it comes under the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and expression. He has then requested the EC to intervene in the matter to ensure safe quantity of drinking water is made available to people of Delhi.

The BJP leadership has decided to target ruling AAP in the election campaigns with Kejriwal’s remark. Congress has also used this opportunity to sharpen their attack against Kejriwal. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said: “Five years ago, Arvind Kejriwal said that he would take a bath in the Yamuna River and drink the water of the Yamuna River. It has been five years, and to date, Kejriwal ji has not drunk the water of Yamuna”.

Haryana CM Sips Yamuna Water

Meanwhile, on Wednesday (January 29), Haryana Chief Minister reached banks of Yamuna and took a couple of sips of water from the river. He then responded to the AAP that there is no poison in water coming from his State to Delhi. Saini has also held that Yamuna water on the border of Haryana from where it enters national capital completely meet the standards and demanded Kejriwal’s apology to the people of Delhi and Haryana for uttering the “false” statement.

In response, Kejriwal claimed that Saini “pretended” to drink water from Yamuna and then spat some of it back in the river, and added that they want Delhi people to consume the same “poisonous” water.

हरियाणा के मुख्यमंत्री नायब सिंह सैनी जी ने यमुना का पानी पीने का ढोंग किया… और फिर वही पानी वापस यमुना में थूक दिया।

जब मैंने कहा कि अमोनिया की मिलावट के कारण यमुना का पानी दिल्लीवालों की जान के लिए ख़तरा हो सकता है, तो इन्होंने मुझ पर FIR करने की धमकी दी।

जिस ज़हरीले पानी… pic.twitter.com/xQEVAu9bWh

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 29, 2025

“They want to make the people of Delhi drink the same poisonous water which they themselves cannot drink. I will never let this happen,” he said in the post.

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Addressing a press conference today (January 30), Kejriwal said: “Today I challenge both these parties to drink this high-ammonia water, if not then apologize to the public. Do you want to kill the people of Delhi by giving them the water which you yourself cannot drink?”

Yamuna water row is currently brewing in the political climate of the national capital.