Delhi Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena with former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and CM Atishi.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Chief Minister Atishi on Wednesday lashed out at Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and accused him of "bowing to political interests", amid AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's allegations of "poisoning" of Yamuna by the BJP government in Haryana and attempting "genocide" in Delhi.
Saxena in a letter to Atishi on Tuesday registered his objection to the "false, misleading" statement of Kejriwal and her defence of it, saying it has potential to create animosity with neighbouring Haryana and endanger national security.
"It is deeply disappointing but hardly surprising that instead of addressing the pressing issue of dangerously high ammonia levels in Delhi's water, you have placed baseless accusations and peddled a false narrative to deflect from your utter failure in fulfilling your responsibilities," the chief minister said in her letter to Saxena.
Kejriwal earlier on Monday alleged that BJP ruled Haryana mixed "poison" in the Yamuna water supplied to Delhi and attempting "genocide" in the city.
As his remark snowballed into a major political controversy, the AAP chief named the "poison" mixed in water as "Ammonia".
Atishi in her letter said that as the lieutenant governor of Delhi, Saxena's constitutional responsibility is towards the people of Delhi and not towards his "political masters-the BJP".
Defending Kejriwal, the chief minister said he raised the issue that the water in the Yamuna has a highly poisonous level of ammonia.
The letter from the CEO of the Delhi Jal Board "outrightly confirms" this, she asserted while listing the harmful effects of the chemical on human health.
Even your letter acknowledges that the current ammonia level in the water is 7.2 ppm -- a figure that is 700 per cent above the permissible limit, Atishi said.
"At this critical juncture, you had two choices: to prioritize public interest or to bow to political interest. Unfortunately, you have chosen the latter," she charged.
The chief minister accused Saxena of attempting to brand Kejriwal's statements as "objectionable, unfortunate, and unacceptable" and added "what is truly objectionable and unacceptable is your apathy toward this water crisis".
Asserting this crisis is not about politics, Atishi said it is about the lives of millions.
This is one opportunity where you can choose to be an administrator or go down in the history of Delhi as someone with blood on their hands, she added.
The chief minister further said the last time someone inflicted "such devastation" on Delhi was in 1739 by "Nadir Shah"- the invader from Iran who orchestrated a "brutal massacre" and wiped out the city.
Delhi Assembly Election 2025 | The first of two state assembly polls this year sees a three-way contest between AAP, Congress, and BJP in the nation's capital. AAP decided to contest the polls alone, causing rumours of a rift in I.N.D.I.A. BJP, meanwhile, is hoping the liquor excise policy scam and pollution in Delhi will give the saffron party an edge over AAP. Kejriwal, on the other hand, has different plans with his demand for reservations for Delhi Jats. Congress will also be looking to make its presence felt and has not held back from attacking its own alliance partner. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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