Kejriwal seeks FIR against Haryana CM for bid to create water crisis in Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS) Continuing his attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) for alleged bias, the AAP’s National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday sought registration of an FIR against Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini for attempting to create an artificial water crisis ahead of the Assembly election by sending ‘poisonous’ Yamuna water to Delhi.
“Rather than acting against Saini, the Election Commission of India has got after me. They are issuing notices to me, whereas my efforts are ensuring that treatment plants work properly and people in Delhi continue to get regular water supply,” said Kejriwal ahead of his visit to the poll panel with other AAP leaders to lodge a protest.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal, who has been openly accusing the poll panel of favouring the BJP and ignoring distribution of bedsheets and shawls to voters, reiterated his charges of the ECI’s bias against the AAP and wrote a letter to bring his grievances on record.
“If no action is taken against the Haryana government and the BJP leaders involved in corrupt practices, it will be amply clear to everyone that the CEC keeps the interest of the ruling party over public interest,” wrote Kejriwal, a day after accusing CEC Rajiv Kumar, who is retiring on February 28, of looking for a post-retirement job from the BJP government at the Centre.
Kejriwal was accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia during his visit to the ECI.
Kejriwal said they intended to give three bottles of Yamuna water carrying 7 ppm ammonia and dare ECI officials to drink the water in public view.
In his letter, shared on social media, Kejriwal said, “The alacrity with which EC has acted against me when I was merely acting on an issue of very high public importance and have averted a huge public crisis in Delhi, is baffling. Equally baffling is the CEC’s refusal to direct Haryana to stop polluting Delhi’s waters.”
“This is a dangerous trend. The EC is shooting the messenger. We raised the issue and we are the ones who are being persecuted,” Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal said the EC’s inaction against the Haryana CM will set a catastrophic precedent and other states will also try to influence elections in neighbouring states by disrupting water supply to the state dependent on river water downstream.
Kejriwal and AAP leaders’ visit to the ECI on Friday came a day after the poll panel expressed dissatisfaction over his reply on the Yamuna ‘poison’ issue, saying that “no factual, legal matrix with evidence has been provided to support his statement”.
The BJP and the AAP have been embroiled in a war of words over the ‘poisoned’ water controversy, with the BJP claiming that the ruling AAP was running away from the responsibility of ensuring safe drinking water to Delhiites and wanted the EC to do this for it.
On Thursday, BJP National Spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “Why did he approach the Election Commission over the Yamuna. Since when has the poll panel become responsible for cleaning rivers.”
The BJP also lashed out at Kejriwal for creating panic in the national Capital with his Yamuna ‘poison’ remark, questioning if he was working for forces inimical to the interests of India.
Poll issues like contaminated water supply and the AAP’s failure to fulfil its 2020 poll promise to supply 24X7 tap water to Delhiites are being highlighted by the BJP and the Congress ahead of the February 5 Assembly election.
The declaration of results on February 8 will decide if the AAP manages to win its fourth straight Assembly election or the BJP manages to end its 27-year drought of electoral wins. The Congress is also trying hard to return to power after 10 years.
–IANS
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