Show proof of poisoning in Yamuna water by Haryana: EC tells Kejriwal
text_fieldsNew Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday asked Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal to provide evidence by 8 pm on Wednesday for his allegation that Haryana government was poisoning water in the Yamuna River being supplied to Delhi.
The poll panel sought Kejriwal to supply ‘factual and legal matrix along with evidentiary support’ in order for it to study it and take action.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which leads the Haryana government, rubbished Kejriwal’s allegation alongside calling out him for trying to ‘spread fear and anarchy’ among people of Delhi.
AAP leadership made the allegations ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls taking place on February 5 and results will come out on February 8.
Kejriwal on Monday shared a video of Delhi Chief Minister Atishi where she alleged a conspiracy by the BJP to poisoning drinking water in the national capital.
‘All of us Delhiites together will fail this conspiracy of BJP,’ Kejriwal was quoted as saying.
Atishi wrote to the Election Commission on Tuesday alleging that the national capital’s treatment plants are ‘almost incapable’ of treating high ammonia levels in water entering Delhi from Haryana.
She said the Delhi Jal Board’s chief executive officer addressed the matter in a note to the Delhi chief secretary on January 27.
However, the Election Commission said the Delhi Jal Board’s report did not mention any poisoning in the Yamuna river.
It also said Kejriwal’s allegation about poisoning Delhi’s drinking water, and terming it nuclear and biological warfare was ‘extremely serious and unprecedented’.
In the letter to Kejriwal, the Election Commission said: ‘The electors tend to believe whatever is being said in public by their leaders and in that sense the statements, if not true, affect the campaign discourse, thereby vitiating the purity of elections and erode the trust of the voters.’
The BJP complained to the Election Commission about Kejriwal’s charges terming it ‘severe breach of several electoral and other statutes in addition to electoral ethics’.