AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal submitted his reply to the Election Commission (EC) on Friday over his controversial “poison mixed” remark about the water quality in the Yamuna. The EC had earlier this week issued a notice to Kejriwal, requesting an explanation for his statements by 11 am on Friday.
Arvind Kejriwal was accompanied by Delhi chief minister Atishi and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to the EC office in New Delhi. In a letter, Arvind Kejriwal reiterated that his comments were solely related to the “unprecedented and dangerously high levels of ammonia contamination” in the raw water supplied to Delhi from Haryana.
In his response, Kejriwal clarified that his earlier statements, which referenced the Yamuna being “poisoned,” were made in the context of the rising ammonia levels in the water and were not intended to suggest any malicious intent outside of this environmental crisis. He emphasized that the ammonia levels in the water had reached alarming levels, peaking at 7 parts per million (ppm) in January, which had posed a significant risk to public health.
The Delhi CM recounted the series of events leading to his remarks, detailing multiple attempts to engage with Haryana’s chief minister for a resolution. Kejriwal explained that despite assurances from the Haryana government, no action was taken to address the contamination.
After repeated attempts by Delhi and Punjab officials to address the issue, Kejriwal raised concerns over what he perceived as a deliberate attempt by the Haryana government to influence the ongoing elections by sending polluted water to Delhi, a move that could have exacerbated the already fragile water situation in the capital.