Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 23: The Yamuna River has become the latest political flashpoint as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav responded to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s challenge to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Yadav dared CM Yogi to perform ‘Aachman’ (a ceremonial sip of water before a religious ritual) using Yamuna water in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, in retaliation to Yogi’s challenge to Kejriwal.
Yadav’s challenge came after Yogi Adityanath urged Arvind Kejriwal to take a dip in the Yamuna River in Delhi, just as Yogi had done in the Sangam at Prayagraj with his entire cabinet. In a post on X, Yadav said, “Those who challenge others should do ‘Aachman’ with Yamuna’s water flowing through Mathura in their state,” without directly naming CM Yogi.
This exchange of barbs began when Yogi Adityanath, while addressing his first rally for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections in Kirari, questioned whether Kejriwal, who had criticized the state of the Yamuna, would take a dip in the river in Delhi. Yogi also accused Kejriwal of turning the Yamuna into a “dirty drain,” calling it a “sin.”
The Yamuna River has become a focal point of political debate, especially in Delhi, due to its severe pollution and the ongoing efforts to clean and conserve it. Over the years, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has made multiple promises to restore the river’s ecological balance.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also criticized Kejriwal over the issue, claiming that despite his promises to clean the river, it had become even more polluted. He pointed to Yogi Adityanath’s holy dip in the Maha Kumbh, challenging Kejriwal and his leaders to do the same in the Yamuna.
The Delhi Assembly elections will take place on February 5, with vote counting scheduled for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are vying for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi.