The ongoing dispute over Yamuna water escalated as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini of "pretending" to drink water from the Yamuna River during his visit to Delhi’s Palla village on Tuesday.
Saini had taken a sip of water from the river to counter Kejriwal's claims that the Haryana government had "poisoned" the water supplied to Delhi, which Kejriwal argued could harm the city’s residents due to ammonia contamination.
Kejriwal posted a video of Saini’s action on X, alleging that the Haryana CM "pretended" to drink the water and then "spat it back into the Yamuna." He said that when he had raised concerns about the water's safety, the Haryana government had threatened to file an FIR against him.
"The people of Delhi will not be forced to drink water that even the Haryana CM refuses to drink," Kejriwal added.
In response, Saini dismissed Kejriwal's remarks as "unfortunate" and accused him of attempting to create panic for political gain. He claimed the water was safe and referred to the water sample testing done by the relevant authorities, which found no contaminants.
Saini said that Kejriwal had "lied all his life" about the water issue, accusing him of spreading baseless claims for political advantage.
The controversy erupted after Kejriwal's statements on Monday, where he claimed that the water from the Yamuna could lead to mass fatalities if mixed with Delhi’s drinking water. He had warned of "mass genocide" if the water entered the city’s supply.
The accusations have drawn significant political reactions, with BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, criticizing Kejriwal's remarks ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Modi called the statement an insult to Haryana and all Indians.