New Delhi:
The Haryana government will file a case against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks alleging the BJP government in Haryana has “poisoned” the Yamuna water, state minister Vipul Goyal said on Wednesday.
“Kejriwal has spread panic among the people of Haryana and Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal has given an irresponsible statement…There is no truth in these allegations. The Haryana government will not spare him,” Mr Goyal said.
The state government has sent the complaint and a case will be filed in the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court (CJM)court in Sonipat under sections of Disaster Management, officials said.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief on Monday made an explosive claim saying that the BJP government in Haryana mixes “poison” in the Yamuna water it supplies to Delhi. The reference was to the high levels of ammonia – over 700 times the permissible limit.
“The people of Delhi get drinking water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh… but the Haryana government has mixed poison in the water coming to Delhi from the Yamuna and sent it here…it is only due to the vigilance of our Delhi Jal Board engineers that this water was stopped,” Mr Kejriwal had said.
This 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. In her letter, she demanded action by the poll body against BJP.
In return, the poll body asked Mr Kejriwal to produce evidence of his claims by 8 pm today.
According to the Election Commission, Mr Kejriwal’s claims are a “serious allegation” and could create between states.
“The electors tend to believe whatever is being said in public by their leaders and in that sense, the statement, if not true, affect the campaign discourse. If true, this also has serious ramifications of creating enmity between regional groups, residents of neighbouring states, threat of law-and-order situation due to actual or perceived shortage of non-availability of water,” the Commission said.
Delhi Jal Board reacts
The Delhi Jal Board, which Mr Kejriwal said stopped the alleged “poisonous” water coming to the national capital, rubbished the AAP leader’s claim. “These statements are factually incorrect, without any basis and misleading,” Delhi Jal Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shilpa Shinde said in a letter to the Chief Secretary.
She also urged the Chief Secretary to bring the matter to the attention of Delhi Lieutenant Governor under the Transaction of Business Rules.
“The matter is being brought to your attention, given the fact that such false statements lead to fear-mongering amongst city residents and also adversely impact relations with the upper riparian state of Haryana. Given that this matter is likely to affect inter-state relations, these facts may be brought to the attention of Lieutenant Governor in terms of the Transaction of Business Rules,” the letter read.
PM Modi blasts AAP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday joined the ‘Yamuna water war’ and slammed Arvind Kejriwal’s “disgusting” charge.
“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…Can BJP’s Haryana’s government poison the water the Prime Minister drinks?” PM Modi said.
Stating that Haryana will “never forget the insinuations”, Mr Modi said that 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,” the PM said.
Several other BJP leaders, including Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini, also hit out at Mr Kejriwal.