In a significant development set to draw national attention, Delhi’s Water Minister Ms. Atishi will commence an indefinite ‘dharna’ (hunger strike) on Friday, protesting against the BJP’s central and Haryana governments for denying Delhi its rightful share of water. This unprecedented move marks the first time in India’s history that a state’s water minister will undertake an indefinite hunger strike for water. Senior AAP Leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sanjay Singh has called on all parties within the INDIA alliance to support the AAP’s demand for fair water distribution to Delhiites. Singh criticized the BJP, Prime Minister, and the LG for the ongoing water crisis in Delhi, questioning why the people of Delhi, who elected all seven BJP MPs, are still being deprived of their essential water needs.
Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sanjay Singh said in a press conference at the party headquarters on Thursday that the severe water crisis in Delhi is orchestrated by the BJP. Despite repeated requests and every effort of the Delhi government, the BJP-led Haryana government is still not giving Delhi its due share of water. They are not even providing drinking water. You can imagine how big a crime it is to not provide drinking water in this scorching heat.
The Senior AAP Leader continued, stating, “I want to ask the Prime Minister of India, you say that you are the ‘Prime Servant’, you aim to serve the whole country. Please tell me what is the crime of the people of Delhi? In 2014, the people of Delhi helped you win all 7 seats. In 2015, Kejriwal’s government was formed, Shri Arvind Kejriwal implemented schemes to make electricity, water, education, treatment, bus travel, and pilgrimage free, yet the people of Delhi made you win all 7 seats again in 2019.”
“Shri Arvind Kejriwal continued all his schemes, kept providing free electricity, water, education, health, and everything else. Then you put Shri Arvind Kejriwal in jail. His arrest caused immense pain to the people of Delhi, they suffered a lot, but despite this, the people of Delhi said that they would vote for Modi ji in the parliamentary elections. And once again, Delhiites made you win all 7 seats. Delhiites have been continuously making you win for the last 3 times, so why are you punishing them? What is the crime of the people of Delhi?” he asked.
“You have made two ministers, but not a single minister is saying a word about Delhi that the Haryana government should at least give Delhi its rightful share of water. We are not asking you for any additional help. We are not asking you to give us more water than our rightful share. All we are saying is that the 100 MGD water, that is the right of the people of Delhi, it is in writing, which we should get, which we have been getting for years, why are you stopping it?” The AAP Rajya Sabha MP mentioned.
The senior AAP leader lashing out at the Modi government stated that the first thing that Prime Minister Modi Ji and his party did, as soon as the results came on 4th June and they won 7 seats, the first thing they did was to cut off the water supply to the people of Delhi. It is extremely unfortunate and shameful that in the country’s capital Delhi, right under the nose of the Prime Minister of India, people are not being given the water they deserve. More than 28 lakh people can get drinking water from the 100 MGD water that the BJP government of Haryana has stopped.
Condemning the vandalism at the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) office, Chhatarpur, Shri Sanjay Singh said that the BJP people are breaking earthen pots, beating employees, and vandalizing offices. These people are nowhere to be seen when it comes to helping in solving the water crisis. They are busy breaking water supply pipelines somewhere or the other. The people of Delhi should recognize how cruel these BJP people are, and how they are trying to crush you in your time of crisis.
The Rajya Sabha MP said that they keep attacking us, and we have no problem with that. But the people of Delhi will have to understand how cruel the BJP people are that they have no intention of helping you in this time of crisis. Sometimes they are breaking the water supply pipes and sometimes they are breaking the offices that make arrangements for water supply. The BJP people under the leadership of ex-BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri broke the DJB office. Now you tell me how will the people of Delhi get water if the employees do not work out of fear? You stopped the water supply from Haryana and are doing drama here. I want to tell the BJP that if you want to protest, then go to Haryana Bhavan and protest in front of the BJP office and bring the water that is Delhi’s right.
Shri Sanjay Singh reiterated that we are not asking for any additional water from Haryana. The Haryana government has stopped drinking water of 100 MGD, equivalent to the demand of 28 lakh people, we are only asking for that same water. This will solve the water crisis. You (BJP) orchestrated the water crisis, did the drama of protesting, and involved the LG and Nayab Singh Saini (Haryana CM) in this work as well. On the other hand, Prime Minister Modi is sitting blindfolded like ‘Dhritarashtra’. Delhi and the entire country are watching all of this, he asserted.
“As a minister, Ms. Atishi made continuous efforts for the people of Delhi. She went to many places and pleaded. She repeatedly requested the LG, the officials, the central government and the Haryana government to give Delhi its due share of water. She has been repeatedly requesting all the departments concerned to give water to 28 lakh people as per their rights, to give us the water that we have been getting. However, the BJP is not ready to listen to even a single word of Atishi, who is a minister from Delhi,” he stated.
Shri Sanjay Singh challenged the BJP and said come and sit face to face and talk, we are ready. If you have the courage then talk face to face, eye to eye. If the BJP is not responsible for the crisis in Delhi, then the truth will be revealed in front of the people and media of the country. The Prime Minister, BJP, LG, and the Haryana government are directly responsible for the water crisis in Delhi, he affirmed.
Announcing Atishi’s hunger strike, Shri Sanjay Singh said that this would be the first time in the history of the country that a state’s water minister is tired of raising her voice for the water crisis and is forced to sit on an indefinite fast. Today, the people of Delhi are being made to crave every drop of water. Against this, Delhi’s water minister Atishi is starting an indefinite hunger strike from Friday. I request all the parties of the INDIA alliance to support Atishi and the Aam Aadmi Party in this fight.
“If we are wrong, you can punish us, but Delhi should get its rightful share of water from the Haryana government. Water Minister Atishi is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike for the rights of the people of Delhi. I would request the people of Delhi to also join Atishi in this fight. We request the Prime Minister not to become Dhritarashtra by tying a blindfold on his eyes and getting the water crisis of Delhi resolved. The people of Delhi have made you win, do not punish them for this. As soon as the people of Delhi made you win, you stopped their water supply,” Shri Sanjay Singh concluded.
