Tensions Rise: Kejriwal Faces ECI Over Yamuna Water Dispute

Arvind Kejriwal, AAP chief, meets the Election Commission of India to address allegations against Haryana's government on River Yamuna's water contamination. The ECI demanded factual evidence by 11 am. This incident intensifies as Delhi's assembly elections loom, with political tensions between AAP, BJP, and Congress escalating.

Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is set to meet officials at the Election Commission of India (ECI) today. This visit comes on the heels of a contentious debate over the alleged poisoning of Delhi's water supply sourced from River Yamuna. The Election Commission recently issued a notice to Kejriwal, urging him to present evidence supporting his serious allegations that the Haryana government has deliberately contaminated the water.

The Yamuna water dispute has emerged as a pivotal issue in Delhi's political landscape, with Kejriwal accusing the BJP-ruled Haryana administration of tampering with the water supply. The ECI has insisted that Kejriwal provide substantiated evidence by 11 am today to support his grave accusations. Previously, on Thursday, the Commission had requested Kejriwal to differentiate the issues of increased ammonia levels from his allegations of mass poisoning, likening it to wartime acts between sovereign nations.

Kejriwal has been tasked with delivering explicit evidence, detailing the type, quantity, and method of contamination, identified by engineers from the Delhi Jal Board by Friday 11 am. Failure to comply could result in the Commission making determinations on the issue. On Monday, Kejriwal fiercely claimed that the BJP-led Haryana government poisoned Yamuna waters as a political ploy during the assembly election season, aiming to hold the AAP accountable for any potential public health crises. The political tensions between the AAP, BJP, and Congress have escalated as elections approach, with the capital readying for polls on February 5, and results on February 8. In the last assembly elections in 2020, AAP dominated the scene by winning 62 out of 70 seats, while BJP secured just eight seats.

(With inputs from agencies.)