Chhath Politics: AAP-BJP Face Off Over 'Fake Ghat' And Yamuna Pollution

A political row erupted in Delhi on Sunday after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of setting up a "fake Yamuna ghat" with filtered water for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Chhath Puja celebrations.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, in a post on X, said that the BJP had "made a mockery of the sacred Chhath festival" by creating a special setup for the Prime Minister while ordinary devotees were left to pray in the polluted Yamuna. 

"Prime Minister Modi will celebrate Chhath in a filtered-water Yamuna, while our poor Purvanchali brothers and sisters are being forced to offer prayers in the filthy, polluted waters of the real Yamuna," Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

Bharadwaj further challenged Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to an open debate on Yamuna pollution. "If Virendra Sachdeva and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta have even a shred of courage or shame left, they should come forward for an open debate on the Yamuna and pollution; we are fully ready," he said.

Responding to the allegations, Virendra Sachdeva dismissed AAP's claims as "baseless political drama" and accused the party of deflecting from its failures in governance. "Every political party experiences victories and defeats, but the mindset should remain balanced. The Aam Aadmi Party's defeat in Delhi has become a source of deep frustration," Sachdeva said.

The Delhi BJP chief said his party's government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had ensured "unprecedented arrangements" for Chhath Puja across Delhi, including clean ghats, lighting, and safety measures for devotees. "The people of Delhi know which party truly works for their faith and culture. Instead of spreading lies, the AAP should recall how it neglected Chhath celebrations for years," he added.

Sachdeva also questioned AAP's record on cleaning the Yamuna. "Saurabh Bharadwaj should tell people where Rs. 6,500 crore meant for Yamuna cleaning has gone," he said, adding that pollution is "a year-round issue that requires continuous work, not seasonal politics."

The sharp exchanges come just ahead of the Chhath festival, celebrated by lakhs of Purvanchali devotees along the Yamuna banks, turning the sacred river once again into a flashpoint in Delhi's political landscape.

Background: Yamuna Water Quality Under Scrutiny

According to the latest Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) report, the Yamuna's water quality in October remained unfit even for bathing, except at Palla, where the river enters Delhi. The report recorded high levels of ammonia and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), indicating severe organic pollution.