Reacting to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's controversial "poison" remark, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate stated that if there is any truth to Kejriwal’s claim, action should be taken against Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. However, she warned that if the statement is false, Kejriwal must refrain from making such accusations, as they could potentially incite riots between states.
Supriya Shrinate emphasized the responsibility of public figures, particularly former Chief Ministers, to be cautious with their statements. She said, “If what Kejriwal is saying is true, and poison has indeed been mixed in the Yamuna River, this is a major crime, and he is accusing the Haryana government of genocide. If this is true, action should be taken against Nayab Singh Saini. But if it is false, he (Kejriwal) should not be making such dirty statements, as he is trying to instigate riots between states.”
Meanwhile, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh sharply criticized Kejriwal over his "poison" remark, accusing him of trying to deflect blame for his failure to fulfill his promise of cleaning the Yamuna River. Rajnath Singh reminded the public that Kejriwal had promised to clean the river and make its water drinkable within three years, but when he failed to deliver, he shifted the blame to Haryana. "I want to ask you, is BJP such a party whose Chief Minister will make Delhiites drink poison?" Rajnath Singh said. He also pointed out that Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini had even gone into the Yamuna River and drank the water to prove its cleanliness.
The statement comes as Delhi heads into elections, with voting scheduled for February 5 and results set to be announced on February 8. A total of 699 candidates are contesting for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi. The Congress, which previously ruled Delhi for 15 years, has faced setbacks in the last two elections. In contrast, AAP dominated both the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections, securing 67 and 62 seats, respectively. The BJP secured just three and eight seats in those elections.