Delhi's Chhath Puja Controversy: AAP Accuses BJP of Creating 'Fake Yamuna Ghat' for PM Modi

A screengrab from a video posted on X by AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj alleging a "fake Yamuna" has been built

New Delhi:

A political controversy erupted in Delhi on Sunday when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of constructing a "fake Yamuna ghat" with filtered water specifically for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Chhath Puja celebrations.

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal posted on X that the BJP had "made a mockery of the sacred Chhath festival" by creating special arrangements for the Prime Minister while leaving ordinary devotees to conduct their prayers in the polluted Yamuna River.

"Prime Minister Modi will celebrate Chhath in a filtered-water Yamuna, while our poor Purvanchali brothers and sisters are being forced to offer prayers in the filthy, polluted waters of the real Yamuna," stated Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj.

Bharadwaj further challenged Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to participate in an open debate regarding Yamuna pollution. "If Virendra Sachdeva and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta have even a shred of courage or shame left, they should come forward for an open debate on the Yamuna and pollution; we are fully ready," he declared.

In response to these allegations, Virendra Sachdeva dismissed AAP's claims as "baseless political drama" and accused the party of deflecting attention from its governance failures. "Every political party experiences victories and defeats, but the mindset should remain balanced. The Aam Aadmi Party's defeat in Delhi has become a source of deep frustration," Sachdeva remarked.

The Delhi BJP chief stated that his party's government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had ensured "unprecedented arrangements" for Chhath Puja across Delhi, including clean ghats, lighting, and safety measures for devotees. "The people of Delhi know which party truly works for their faith and culture. Instead of spreading lies, the AAP should recall how it neglected Chhath celebrations for years," he added.

Sachdeva also questioned AAP's record on cleaning the Yamuna. "Saurabh Bharadwaj should tell people where Rs. 6,500 crore meant for Yamuna cleaning has gone," he said, adding that pollution is "a year-round issue that requires continuous work, not seasonal politics."

The heated exchanges occur just before the Chhath festival, celebrated by hundreds of thousands of Purvanchali devotees along the Yamuna banks, transforming the sacred river once again into a contentious issue in Delhi's political landscape.

Background: Yamuna Water Quality Under Scrutiny

According to the latest Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) report, the Yamuna's water quality in October remained unsuitable even for bathing, except at Palla, where the river enters Delhi. The report documented high levels of ammonia and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), indicating severe organic pollution.