Delhi Water Minister Atishi’s relentless pursuit (‘Jal Satyagraha’) for Delhi’s rightful water share from Haryana’s BJP government entered its third day on Sunday. Delhi Water Minister’s ‘Jal Satyagraha’ is receiving overwhelming support from Delhi’s residents, with Bhogal RWA and a large crowd rallying at the site to uplift Ms. Atishi’s spirits. Prominent leaders, including AAP MP Sanjay Singh, Cabinet Ministers Gopal Rai, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Imran Hussain, along with senior leader Jasmine Shah, joined the protest, highlighting the united front in this crucial water rights movement.
While, CM Arvind Kejriwal’s wife, Smt. Sunita Kejriwal, visited the protest site in the evening to check on the health of the Water Minister. Meanwhile, senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and former MP Subhashini Ali, lent her party’s support to the movement. Minister Atishi, in a video message, assured Delhiites that the indefinite Satyagraha would persist until the Haryana government releases Delhi’s rightful share of water from the Hathnikund Barrage.
Delhi Water Minister Atishi said, “Today is the third day of my indefinite hunger strike. I am on this hunger strike because there is a huge water crisis in Delhi. Delhi does not have its own water. All the water here comes from neighboring states. Delhi needs 1,005 MGD of water. Out of this, 613 MGD of water comes from Haryana, but for the last 3 weeks, Haryana has reduced the release of water. Haryana is giving only 513 MGD of water. Delhi is getting 100 MGD less water daily from Haryana. 28,500 people get water from 1 MGD. Due to getting 100 MGD less water, 28 lakh people of Delhi are not getting water.”
The Delhi Water Minister further added that the Haryana government says that it does not have water, so from where should it give water to Delhi. But on Saturday, when many media persons went to the Hathnikund Barrage, it was clearly seen that Hathnikund Barrage is full of water. Water is released to Delhi from here. The gate from which water is released for Delhi has been closed. They requested Haryana to open the gates of Hathnikund Barrage and give water to the people of Delhi. Delhiites should get water as per their rights. Till the Haryana government does not give water to the people of Delhi, my indefinite satyagraha will continue.
Water Minister Atishi addressed a huge crowd of Delhiites who had joined in support of the water ‘Satyagraha’ in the evening. “It is my firm resolve that I will sit on hunger strike until 28 lakh Delhiites who are facing water shortage do not get water. The love and blessings of the people of Delhi are giving me courage. Keep your love and blessings like this. Together we will get the people of Delhi their rights. We will get the water of 28 lakh Delhiites their rights.” she said.
Haryana is giving 100 to 117 MGD less water, due to this 28-31 lakh people are facing water crisis: Sanjay Singh
During this, Senior AAP Leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that today we met the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) regarding Delhi’s water problem and told him by presenting the figures that Haryana is giving less water. The Haryana government is giving 100 MGD less water some days, 113 MGD on some days, and 117 MGD less water on some days. Due to this, 28 to 31 lakh people of Delhi are facing water problems. The LG has assured that he will make every effort to get water from the Haryana government. People of Delhi should get their rightful share of water.
“I want to tell the people of BJP that if you have any technology, then help us. Can you make water? If PM Modi’s ‘double engine’ government in Haryana does not give the full share of water to Delhi, then how will water be produced in Delhi? The amount of water that was decided for Delhi in 1994, the same amount of water is being provided to Delhi even after 30 years, but today we are not even being given that much water,” The AAP Rajya Sabha MP said.
Doctors have advised Atishi to end her fast after her ketone level was high, yet she is standing with full courage: Sanjay Singh
Sanjay Singh said that we are not stopping anyone from criticizing, but it is also true that we laid 12,000 kilometers of new pipeline in Delhi, new pipelines were laid in unauthorized colonies. Leakage was stopped by replacing old pipes. ₹500 crores was spent to stop water leakage from canals. There is no appreciation for the work we did in 10 years, only criticism is done day and night. Water Minister Atishi has been on a fast for three days, so she is also being mocked. Atishi is not asking for anything for herself, rather she is asking for water for the people of Delhi by staying hungry herself today. What is wrong with this?
“BJP people are making fun, but the people of Delhi are watching everything. In the assembly elections, the people of Delhi will also make fun of the BJP in the same way. Until we get water, our fight will continue. Doctors have declared Atishi’s ketone level positive in their test report. They have advised her to end her fast. Her blood pressure and sugar level have gone down. But despite this, Atishi is sitting on fast with full courage for the rights of Delhi,” he added.
BJP’s religion is only to capture power, they are doing such dirty politics that they have stopped water supply from one state to another: Subhashini Ali
Senior leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and former MP Subhashini Ali said that Atishi is fighting very bravely for the basic issue of water in Delhi. It is our duty to support her on a basic issue like water. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is fully supporting this movement of AAP. In all religions, giving water to a thirsty person is considered the biggest deed and in all religions, killing someone thirsty is also considered the biggest crime. BJP people talk a lot about temples and mosques. But their only religion is to rule and capture power. For this, these people are ready to do anything. They are doing such dirty politics that they have stopped water supply from one state to another to take political revenge.
“In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the people of Haryana have given a tight slap to BJP by defeating them in 5 out of 10 seats. Even after this, the BJP government of Haryana has stopped the water supply at the behest of Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah, because there is an AAP government in Delhi. They have to fight against AAP in the upcoming assembly elections. That is why they want to destroy the AAP. This is a matter of great shame. Although seven BJP MPs have won from Delhi, despite this the loyalty of these MPs is not with the people of Delhi. If the loyalty of these MPs was with the people of Delhi, then they would also have come and sat in ‘Satyagraha’ and said that the people of Delhi have made us win, it is our responsibility to quench their thirst,” She concluded.
When all ways of getting water were closed, then water minister decided to do Satyagraha for rights of Delhiites: Gopal Rai
AAP Delhi State Convenor Gopal Rai said that to get Delhi out of this water crisis, Water Minister Atishi wrote a letter to PM Narendra Modi, but no reply came. When all the ways were closed, she decided to do a ‘Jal Satyagraha’ for the rights of Delhiites. Ever since Water Minister Atishi sat on a hunger strike, the LG of Delhi is restless and is saying that some people are doing politics on the water crisis. But the LG forgets that he is the LG of Delhi, not of Haryana.
“It is a matter of great shame that the LG of Delhi is not concerned about the people of Delhi. He is cursing the people of Delhi by acting like a spokesperson of the BJP government of Haryana. He has forgotten that all his needs are fulfilled from the tax money of the people of Delhi and when the fight for the right of Delhiites to water starts, he becomes the spokesperson of the BJP government of Haryana. From LG’s statement it seems that he is also in cahoots with Haryana’s BJP government, that is why he is silent on the water minister’s hunger strike. Also, the BJP government at the centre is also involved in this,” the AAP Delhi State Convenor mentioned.
BJP has become arrogant after winning all 7 seats in Delhi, but we will win this Satyagraha: Gopal Rai
Gopal Rai said that the people of Delhi made the BJP win on all the 7 seats. The day the election results came, the BJP again got intoxicated by its arrogance like before and started taking revenge on the people of Delhi. There was no water crisis in Delhi before June 4, but after June 4, the BJP got its Haryana government to stop the water supply to Delhi. Lakhs of people of Delhi are being made to yearn for every drop of water. They put Satyendar Jain, Manish Sisodia and CM Arvind Kejriwal in jail, so that the work in Delhi comes to a standstill and the people of Delhi get troubled. But when this also did not work, then BJP got its Haryana government to stop the water supply to Delhi. The people of Delhi will not forget this.
“The people of Delhi and the Almighty will settle the accounts for this. We will win this ‘Satyagraha’ of Atishi. This fight is between the lies and arrogance of BJP and Atishi’s Satyagraha. The victory of all the 7 MPs in Delhi has made BJP arrogant. But this fight is for the right to water for Delhi. We will all fight it together,” he affirmed.
In 4-5 days, so much water will come to Haryana from Himachal and Uttarakhand that it will not be able to stop water even if it wants to: Saurabh Bharadwaj
Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj told the people of Delhi that we had gone to meet the Delhi LG today. We told him that you are the representative of the centre, you have been appointed as the LG of Delhi by the BJP government at the Centre. So, you should talk to the BJP government of Haryana about water. Even today, the Haryana government is giving about 113 MGD less water to Delhi. We also showed LG Sahab the data of the water being received daily. The LG has assured to talk to the Haryana government. We hope that the LG will talk to Haryana and the BJP government of Haryana will release Delhi’s share of water.
“We also told the LG that rain has started in Himachal and Uttarakhand. In the next 4-5 days, so much water will come to Haryana from Himachal and Uttarakhand that Haryana will not be able to stop the water even if it wants to and it will have to release the water. Due to rain, water will definitely come to Delhi in a week. Therefore, Haryana should release Delhi’s share of water for this one week, which has been stopped at Hathnikund Barrage,” he added.
Water Minister Atishi has been sitting on ‘Jal Satyagraha’ for 3 days by abstaining from food, so that people of Delhi can get their rightful share of water: Saurabh Bharadwaj
Saurabh Bharadwaj said that today is the third day of water minister Atishi’s ‘Jal Satyagraha’. Atishi has abstained from food for three days. Her weight is also continuously decreasing. Atishi’s hunger strike is going on under a lot of pain, so that the people of Delhi can get their rightful share of water. There is hardly any such example where a water minister is torturing themselves so that the people of their state can get the water they deserve. “I appeal to the people of Delhi to keep coming from time to time to encourage Atishi and give her their blessings and prayers. May God keep giving Atishi strength to fight against the BJP,” he stated.
BJP itself got its Haryana government to stop Delhi’s water supply and BJP workers are also protesting for water: Imran Hussain
Cabinet Minister Imran Hussain said that the BJP government at the Centre has kept the LG sitting like a dictator. Atishi has been on hunger strike for three days. The LG should have come here on the first day itself and supported the water minister, but he is only doing politics. If he has the courage, he should show it by sitting on hunger strike. Atishi is not on hunger strike for herself, but to provide water to 28.5 lakh people of Delhi, which has been stopped by Haryana’s Nayab Saini government. Since the BJP knows that it has no answer to the work of CM Arvind Kejriwal and his government. So they tried to question his honesty by implicating him in a false case and now they are harassing the government and the people of Delhi by stopping 100 MGD of Delhi’s water.
“Atishi is fighting for the rights of the people of Delhi, the people of Delhi will always remember her. The AAP is not a party that just fights, but a follows the principles of Gandhi ji. On one hand, the BJP government of Haryana has stopped Delhi’s water supply and on the other hand, these same people are protesting for water in Delhi. If they are really concerned about the people of Delhi, then tell their Haryana government that the people of Delhi have made us win all the 7 seats, now give them water. If they do not give Delhi’s water, then last time the people of Delhi had given them 8 seats, but this time they will not give even one,” he stated.
Since results of Lok Sabha elections, BJP government of Haryana is giving less water every day: Jasmine Shah
Senior AAP leader Jasmine Shah said that before today, such a situation of water crisis was never seen in Delhi. 28 lakh people of Delhi are yearning for every drop of water. Since 1994, Delhi has been getting 1,005 MGD water every day. Today, after 30 years, this much water is not sufficient for Delhi. Still, the people of Delhi are dependent on this share of water. Delhi does not have its own water. Therefore, we get this water from neighboring states, especially Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Out of this 1,005 MGD, Haryana gives 613 MGD water to Delhi.
“But after the results of the Lok Sabha elections came on June 4, Delhi’s water has been continuously reduced since June 6. Due to less water from Haryana, Delhi produced 950 MGD water on June 10, 901 MGD on June 15, 888 MGD on June 20 and 906 MGD on June 22. There is no shortage of water in Haryana’s Hathnikund Barrage, yet Delhi is not getting full water. This makes it clear that this is a conspiracy of the BJP. The Kejriwal government has demanded to increase Delhi’s water quota many times, but the central government is stopping it. The BJP’s Haryana government has reduced Delhi’s water supply in this scorching heat. The country has never seen such a cruel government before,” he concluded.
Sunita Kejriwal reaches Satyagraha site, enquires about Atishi’s health
CM Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal also reached to meet Water Minister Atishi who was sitting on ‘Jal Satyagraha’ on Sunday evening and enquired about her health. She remained present at the protest site for some time and boosted the morale of the Water Minister. She assured Minister Atishi that the entire party stands firmly with her. Mi Minister Atishi is on hunger strike as she is hurt by Delhi not getting its share of water despite repeated requests to the Central Government and Haryana Government.