The ongoing water crisis in Delhi has spurred protests, vandalism, and heated political exchanges across the capital. On Sunday, unidentified individuals vandalised the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) office in Chhatarpur amidst the severe water shortage, as reported by ANI. The footage shared by ANI depicted shattered window panes and broken earthen pots at the DJB office. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) shared another video of the incident alleging that the vandals were BJP leaders and workers. In the video, a man was seen wearing the BJP’s scarf.
“See how BJP workers are breaking the office of Delhi Jal Board while shouting slogans of ‘BJP Zindabad’,” AAP wrote on X.
Delhi witnessed clashes over access to water, with a conflict at a common tap in Dwarka resulting in three people being injured and hospitalized. BJP MP Harsh Malhotra accused the AAP government of corruption and mismanagement, blaming them for the current water scarcity. In response, Delhi water minister Atishi wrote to Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora requesting protection for major water pipelines.
Amid the crisis, BJP leaders have conducted ‘matka-phod’ protests across various districts, highlighting issues of water wastage and infrastructure neglect. Bansuri Swaraj, BJP MP from New Delhi, accused the AAP government of fabricating the crisis and pointed to water theft and tanker mafias as contributing factors.
In another escalation, Water Minister Atishi urged the police for enhanced protection of the city’s major water pipelines due to decreased supply from the Yamuna. The crisis has intensified with the onset of a punishing heatwave, exacerbating the water shortage in Delhi.
The clashes and confrontations over access to water have underscored the urgent need for sustainable solutions to address Delhi’s water crisis. The political blame game has continued to escalate, with both AAP and BJP leaders accusing each other of mismanagement and negligence amidst the worsening situation.
