On Sunday, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi went to the Raj Bhavan to submit her resignation to Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena. However, during their meeting, LG Saxena made a remark about the pollution in the Yamuna River, saying, “You have Yamuna’s curse.” He further stressed that the government should have taken active steps to clean the river.
LG Warned About Yamuna Pollution Earlier
According to sources, LG Saxena told Atishi that he had earlier warned AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal about the same “curse.” The LG mentioned that Kejriwal had stopped a Supreme Court-approved river cleaning project. However, Atishi did not respond to the remark.
The Ongoing Dispute Over Yamuna
The issue dates back two years. In January 2023, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) formed a high-level committee led by LG Saxena to reduce pollution in the Yamuna. Initially, Kejriwal supported the initiative and offered assistance. However, the Delhi government later challenged the NGT’s decision in the Supreme Court, arguing that a domain expert should head the panel. The court halted the project, and the case has remained unresolved for over two years.
PM Modi’s Attack on AAP Over Yamuna
After the election results were announced on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for disrespecting people’s faith. He promised to clean and beautify the Yamuna. PM Modi ended his speech by repeatedly saying, “Yamuna Maiya Ki Jai.”