AAP Targets BJP Over “Fake Yamuna Ghat” for PM Modi’s Chhath Puja

A fierce political showdown gripped Delhi Sunday as AAP unleashed a blistering attack on BJP for allegedly constructing a "fake Yamuna ghat" with artificially cleaned, filtered water exclusively for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Chhath Puja rituals, while lakhs of ordinary Purvanchali devotees face the river's toxic froth. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal fired the first salvo on X, branding the setup a "disrespect to the sacred festival" and accusing BJP of hypocrisy in prioritizing VIP luxuries over public health.

Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj escalated the rhetoric, claiming the special ghat—complete with piped clean water and barricades—mocks the faith of poor migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh who form Chhath's backbone. "Modi ji will offer arghya in crystal-clear water, but our brothers and sisters wade through sewage for the real puja," Bharadwaj thundered, issuing a direct challenge to Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for a public debate on Yamuna rejuvenation. "If they have any courage or shame, debate us on the river's filth—we're ready," he added, vowing to expose 10 years of BJP's "empty promises" at the Centre.

BJP hit back hard, dismissing AAP's outrage as "desperate electioneering" ahead of Bihar polls. Sachdeva accused Kejriwal's ousted regime of squandering ₹6,500 crore allocated for Yamuna cleanup, leaving the river a perennial poll gimmick. "Under CM Gupta, we've ensured 150+ clean ghats with lighting, security, and mobile toilets for 10 lakh devotees—unlike AAP's neglect of Chhath for a decade," he retorted. BJP highlighted recent strides, citing a 90% drop in faecal coliform levels per the latest DPCC data: from 28,000 MPN at ISBT Bridge last October to 8,000 now, and from 1.1 million at Nizamuddin to 7,900. Water Minister Parvesh Verma credited seven months of BJP governance for the gains, including desilting 50 km of drains and Haryana's increased upstream releases post-October 21, boosting flow and diluting toxins.

Also Read: BJP’s Manjinder Singh Sirsa Accuses AAP of Forcing Punjab Farmers, Causing Delhi Smog

Yet the DPCC's October report paints a grim baseline: sampled on October 9, it flagged the Yamuna unfit for bathing beyond Palla due to BOD levels exceeding 10 mg/L and ammonia spikes from untreated effluents at Shahdara and Sarita Vihar drains. Six major outfalls like Sweeper Colony ran dry, worsening stagnation, while COD hit 96 mg/L at Abul Fazal—far above safe limits. Officials noted post-sampling improvements from Hathnikund Barrage surges, but critics like Bharadwaj decried "selective stats," urging devotees to avoid dips that risk skin infections and gastrointestinal woes for children and pregnant women.

As Chhath dawns October 27 with evening arghya, the Yamuna—Delhi's 22-km stretch reduced to a drain by 57 sewage lines—remains a toxic tinderbox. AAP plans "Yamuna Bachao" marches along ghats, while BJP deploys 5,000 personnel for crowd control. With 2026 Delhi polls looming, this festival feud underscores the river's enduring role as a battleground for votes and vows.

Also Read: AAP Dares BJP: Drink Yamuna Water to Prove It’s Clean