As Chhath Puja celebrations continue in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party accused the BJP-led government of creating an artificial pond with filtered water at Vasudev Ghat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ceremonial dip. The BJP dismissed the allegations as political frustration and defended efforts to clean the Yamuna for devotees. The controversy highlights tensions ahead of Bihar elections amid the festival's cultural significance for Delhi's Purvanchali community.
Chhath Puja entered its second day on Sunday, drawing large crowds to Delhi's ghats despite ongoing political sparring. AAP leaders, now in opposition, alleged that the BJP government constructed an artificial ghat at Vasudev Ghat near Anand Vihar ISBT, filling it with filtered water from the Wazirabad treatment plant to enable PM Modi's dip on Monday. Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP's Delhi unit chief, demonstrated the setup during a live session on X and a subsequent press conference, claiming the move diverted water meant for Uttar Pradesh farmers via the Eastern Canal without addressing the river's pollution.
Bharadwaj referenced a recent Delhi Pollution Control Committee report warning that bathing in the Yamuna could cause serious diseases, accusing the BJP of endangering public health for electoral gains in Bihar. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi always takes care of his health—have you ever heard of him catching the flu or typhoid? That is why they have created this fake river of filtered water for him, while the ghats for poor Purvanchali people are left on the real Yamuna full of filth and excreta,' he said. AAP leaders including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia echoed the criticism on X, with Kejriwal stating, 'The BJP has made a mockery of the deep religious sentiments attached to Chhath Parv in Delhi,' and Sisodia accusing the party of 'tampering with the faith of Chhath vratris.'
The BJP countered sharply. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva labeled the claims a 'shameful example of political frustration' and said AAP opposed Yamuna cleaning efforts. He noted that the previous AAP government banned Chhath celebrations on Yamuna banks from 2018 to 2024, questioning their current objections to sanitation measures under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Gupta, participating in the Kharna Puja, emphasized the government's motto of 'Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi' and described this year's events as the first large-scale organization across all ghats, promoting 'cleanliness, culture, and good governance.'
The festival holds political weight in Delhi, home to a large migrant population from Bihar and Purvanchal, influencing narratives in upcoming state elections. The BJP has promised comprehensive arrangements at all ghats to ensure comfortable rituals for devotees.