Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini visited the Yamuna River’s banks at Palla village in Delhi on Wednesday, addressing accusations from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Saini took a sip of the river water in a public display to refute Kejriwal’s claims that the Haryana government had “poisoned” the water supply to Delhi, allegedly endangering residents’ lives.
Kejriwal had earlier accused the Haryana government of contaminating the water meant for Delhi, claiming it could have led to mass casualties. In response, Saini called these accusations “unfortunate,” accusing Kejriwal of stoking public fear for political gain.
However, a video showing Saini sipping the Yamuna water and then spitting it back into the river soon went viral. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal shared the clip on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, captioning it: “Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini pretended to drink Yamuna water, but spat it back into the river.”
Kejriwal further commented, “When I raised concerns about the danger of ammonia-contaminated Yamuna water harming Delhiites, they threatened to file an FIR against me. Now, they expect Delhi residents to drink the very water that their own leaders can’t stomach. I won’t allow this.”
The controversy began on Monday when Kejriwal accused the Haryana government of intentionally poisoning the Yamuna water flowing into Delhi, saying, “Had this water mixed with Delhi’s drinking supply, it would have led to mass casualties.” His remarks have drawn sharp criticism from the BJP, as tensions rise ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.
The Delhi Assembly elections are set for February 5, 2025, with vote counting scheduled for February 8. A total of 699 candidates will contest 70 seats. The Congress, once dominant in Delhi politics, has faced significant losses in recent elections, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has enjoyed sweeping victories in 2015 and 2020.