Delhi’s Water Minister Atishi will stage an indefinite hunger strike beginning on Friday to protest against what the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claims is the denial of Delhi’s rightful share of water by the BJP-led central and Haryana governments. This unprecedented action came after Atishi wrote a letter addressing PM Modi on Wednesday, urging him to resolve the water related issue else she will sit on indefinite strike from Friday.
Speaking at a press conference, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, Atishi will go on hunger strike, which marks the first time in India’s history that a state’s water minister is forced to undertake such a drastic measure to address a water crisis. “The severe water crisis in Delhi is orchestrated by the BJP,” said Singh. “Despite repeated requests and every effort of the Delhi government, the BJP-led Haryana government is still not giving Delhi its due share of water. They are not even providing drinking water. You can imagine how big a crime it is to not provide drinking water in this scorching heat.”
Singh called on all parties within the INDIA alliance to support AAP’s stance on the water crisis, appealing for solidarity in demanding fair water distribution. He questioned the motives of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the irony that Delhi, which has consistently supported the BJP in national elections, is now facing such a critical issue.
“I want to ask the Prime Minister of India, you say that you are the ‘Prime Servant’, you aim to serve the whole country. Please tell me, what is the crime of the people of Delhi?” Singh asked.
“In 2014, the people of Delhi helped you win all 7 seats. In 2015, Kejriwal’s government was formed, and despite the continuous provision of free services like electricity, water, education, and healthcare, the people of Delhi made you win all 7 seats again in 2019.”
Singh also condemned recent acts of vandalism at the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) office in Chhatarpur, accusing BJP supporters of disrupting the water supply efforts. “BJP people are breaking earthen pots, beating employees, and vandalizing offices. They are nowhere to be seen when it comes to helping solve the water crisis. They are busy breaking water supply pipelines somewhere or the other,” he alleged.
Addressing the broader implications of the crisis, Singh stated, “The people of Delhi should recognize how cruel these BJP people are. They have no intention of helping you in this time of crisis. Sometimes they are breaking the water supply pipes, and sometimes they are breaking the offices that make arrangements for water supply. The BJP people under the leadership of ex-BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri broke the DJB office. How will the people of Delhi get water if the employees do not work out of fear?”
Singh pointed out that the Delhi government is not asking for any additional water from Haryana, only the 100 million gallons per day (MGD) that Delhi has been receiving and which is crucial for the needs of 28 lakh people. He accused the BJP of orchestrating the water crisis and engaging in performative protests while Prime Minister Modi remains indifferent, likening his stance to that of the mythological Dhritarashtra, “Water Minister Atishi is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike for the rights of the people of Delhi. We request the Prime Minister not to become Dhritarashtra by tying a blindfold on his eyes. The people of Delhi deserve their rightful share of water. As soon as the people of Delhi made you win, you stopped their water supply.”
