Chandigarh/New Delhi: The Haryana government has decided to lodge a case against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his claim that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government was “poisoning” Delhi’s water supply.
Haryana minister Vipul Goel confirmed the development, stating that Kejriwal’s remarks had created panic in both Delhi and Haryana. “We have decided to lodge an FIR against him, and a process has already been initiated for the same,” Goel told The Indian Express.
CM Nayab Saini Demands Apology, Threatens Defamation Suit
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini strongly condemned Kejriwal’s statement and demanded an immediate apology. “Kejriwal has lost his mental balance seeing his possible defeat in the elections. He should seek an apology from the public of Delhi and Haryana immediately, or we will file a defamation suit against him,” Saini said.
Referring to Kejriwal’s claim that Delhi Jal Board engineers had stopped the Yamuna water flow to Delhi after suspecting contamination, Saini questioned its credibility. “Kejriwal should tell us which poison was allegedly mixed, in what quantity, and if the water was poisonous, how many fish died? The people of Haryana consider the Yamuna a holy river and worship it. Why would they mix poison in its water?”
Election Commission Seeks Evidence
Meanwhile, acting on complaints filed by BJP and Congress leaders, the Election Commission (EC) has asked Kejriwal to provide evidence supporting his claim.
In a letter sent to the Delhi CM on Tuesday, the EC stated that the matter was being examined in light of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and relevant legal provisions. While no formal notice was issued, the EC directed Kejriwal to submit a “factual and legal matrix along with evidentiary support” by 8 PM on Wednesday.
The controversy comes just days ahead of the February 5 elections, adding to the already charged political atmosphere between AAP and BJP in Delhi and Haryana.
