In a dramatic protest against the Delhi government’s failure to clean the Yamuna River, BJP candidate Parvesh Verma staged a bold demonstration today by immersing a cutout of AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the murky waters of the river. This protest, held at the Yamuna Ghat near ITO, sharply criticized the Kejriwal-led AAP government’s unfulfilled promises and its inability to address the worsening state of the river.
Kejriwal’s Struggle to Clean the Yamuna
The promise of cleaning the Yamuna has been one of the most prominent pledges made by Arvind Kejriwal during his tenure as Chief Minister of Delhi. However, despite claims that the river would be cleaned by 2025, Parvesh Verma and many other political observers believe that the situation has only gotten worse. Verma, a BJP candidate from the New Delhi Assembly constituency, minced no words as he accused Kejriwal and his party of failing to deliver on what he called a “hollow” promise.
“After 11 years in power and an expenditure of Rs 8,000 crore, the AAP government has utterly failed to deliver on its promise of cleaning the Yamuna. This is a betrayal to the people of Delhi,” said Verma, standing on the riverbank.
The protest took a dramatic turn when Parvesh Verma, accompanied by a group of BJP supporters, marched to the Yamuna Ghat and ceremoniously immersed a large cutout of Arvind Kejriwal into the river. This symbolic act, aimed at drawing attention to the deteriorating state of the river, was Verma’s way of demonstrating the AAP government’s failure to fulfill its promises regarding the cleaning of Yamuna. Verma’s effigy immersion was a direct challenge to Kejriwal’s repeated assurances about cleaning the river. In his statement, he highlighted that the AAP leader had failed to make any meaningful progress on the issue despite spending billions in public funds.
Kejriwal’s Failed Promises and the Battle for Delhi’s Cleanliness
Kejriwal, who had confidently promised to make the Yamuna “clean enough to take a dip in by 2025,” has now admitted that he could not fulfill that promise. During his campaign for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls, he acknowledged the delay in addressing the river’s pollution and assured that AAP would aim to clean the river within the next two to three years if the party were to return to power.
While Kejriwal’s supporters continue to believe in his vision for a cleaner Delhi, critics like Verma are quick to point out that his track record leaves much to be desired. Verma, during his protest, noted that while the AAP government had plenty of time, resources, and financial aid to tackle the problem, it had only succeeded in creating “false hopes” rather than tangible results.
The battle for a cleaner Yamuna has now become a key point of contention between the BJP and AAP, with each party accusing the other of neglecting the issue for political gain. Parvesh Verma’s protest, aimed at highlighting the failures of the current Delhi government, is an effort to turn the tables in the BJP’s favor ahead of the upcoming elections.
“By immersing his effigy, we are exposing his failure to the people of Delhi,” Verma told reporters, clearly disappointed with the AAP’s lack of progress on the matter. This protest comes at a time when the national capital faces severe pollution levels, particularly during the winter months, with the Yamuna remaining a central concern for the city’s residents. Verma’s symbolic act also signals a larger campaign against what he terms “deceitful promises and hollow claims” by the Kejriwal government. According to him, the politics of “lies and propaganda” that have plagued Delhi will only continue unless a change is made.
Delhi Assembly Elections heating up
The pollution of the Yamuna River is not just an environmental concern but also an emotional issue for the people of Delhi. The river holds cultural and religious significance for millions, and the unfulfilled promise of cleaning it has created mounting frustration among the public.
With the AAP government facing mounting criticism, the opposition is working hard to capitalize on this issue. The failure to fulfill promises related to the Yamuna cleaning project has already become a talking point in local political circles. The BJP, led by leaders like Parvesh Verma, has made it clear that they are determined to hold the current government accountable for its inaction.
As Delhi prepares for the upcoming elections, the issue of Yamuna cleaning remains unresolved, and its resolution may prove pivotal. With his cutout submerged in the murky waters of the Yamuna, Parvesh Verma has made it clear that the BJP intends to keep the pressure on Kejriwal and his government. Whether Kejriwal can make good on his promise to clean the river in the coming years remains to be seen. What’s certain is that the Yamuna’s fate – and the political future of Delhi – may very well depend on the outcome of this ongoing battle.