BJP’s Sachdeva takes protest dip in Yamuna

NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva took a dip in the polluted Yamuna River at ITO Chhath Ghat, criticising the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for alleged corruption and failure in cleaning the river. Despite invitations, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and current Chief Minister Atishi Marlena did not attend the event, said Delhi BJP.

Sachdeva accused the Kejriwal government of mismanaging Rs 8,500 crore allocated for Yamuna cleaning, emphasizing that the river’s condition continues to deteriorate. “By taking a dip in the Yamuna, I apologized for the fraud and corruption of the Kejriwal government. I also pledged to establish a Yamuna Cleaning Authority when the BJP comes to power in 2025,” Sachdeva said.

The event, attended by BJP workers and Chhath committees, underscored discontent with the AAP government’s environmental policies. Sachdeva criticised Kejriwal for failing to fulfil his promise to clean the Yamuna by 2025, referencing a 2021 video where the Chief Minister vowed he should not be re-elected if the river remained dirty. BJP leaders present included Praveen Shankar Kapoor, Vijender Dhama, and Municipal Councillor Sandeep Kapoor. Sachdeva waited nearly 30 minutes for Kejriwal and Marlena, who never arrived despite the red carpet and VIP chairs set up for them.

In addition to the Yamuna issue, Sachdeva condemned the AAP government’s management of water and electricity policies, questioning Kejriwal’s call for residents to refuse paying water bills as costs continue to rise. He also highlighted increasing air pollution and inadequate spending on pollution control.