The Delhi Congress has criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government over the worsening condition of the Yamuna River. According to Delhi Congress, the Kejriwal-led government has turned Delhi into the most polluted city in the country, failing to deliver on promises of making Delhi a world-class city. Delhi Congress Chief Devender Yadav stated that the Atishi-led government must confront the reality of the Yamuna’s severe pollution. Recently, the Delhi High Court, citing high pollution levels in the river, denied permission for devotees to conduct Chhath Puja along the Yamuna’s banks, underscoring the Atishi government’s shortcomings in keeping the river safe and clean for the festival. A bench led by the Chief Justice noted that permitting Chhath Puja in the Yamuna could pose serious health risks to devotees.
Yadav also remarked that this represents a major setback for former Chief Minister Kejriwal, who often highlights his “achievements,” as Delhi was recently declared the most polluted city in India by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Yadav referred to this as yet another stain on Kejriwal’s track record. He further stated that the national capital has already become infamous for being both the “dirtiest city” and the “rape capital” of the country, which he described as the legacy of Kejriwal’s decade of governance failures.
Yadav added that the Delhi Congress has long been raising concerns about the toxic air and contaminated Yamuna waters. However, despite these repeated warnings, the Atishi government has failed to implement effective measures to address the deteriorating air and water quality, resorting instead to blaming others. According to Yadav, the AAP government has repeatedly shown itself to be incapable of tackling these critical issues facing the capital.