On Monday evening, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led a candle march in support of Water Minister Atishi, who is on a ‘Jal Satyagraha’ hunger strike to secure the water rights of Delhi residents. The march, however, was halted by Delhi Police, prompting party leaders to stage a dharna at the spot. Supporters chanted slogans like “Give water to Delhi” and “Atishi, Tum Sangharsh Karo, Hum Tumhare Saath Hain.”
Joining the protest, All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) women MPs Mahua Moitra, Sagarika Ghosh, and Pratibha Mandal expressed solidarity with the Satyagraha. AAP MP from Punjab, Dr. Rajkumar, also showed support on behalf of the state unit. Monday marked the fourth day of Atishi’s hunger strike, and her health is reportedly deteriorating. In response, AAP has announced plans to intensify the Satyagraha. Starting Tuesday, five AAP MLAs will join Atishi in the continuous hunger strike. If Delhi’s water demands are not met, the protest is set to expand with more residents joining the hunger strike.
Senior AAP Leader and Delhi Water Minister Atishi said, “I have tried everything possible but despite that the Haryana government is not ready to release Delhi’s share of water. Therefore, I have no option left except to sit on a hunger strike. My resolve is strong. I will sit on a hunger strike until Delhi gets water. A team of doctors came this morning. The doctors said that my BP and sugar levels are low. I have lost weight and the ketone level has increased. The doctors have written that I need to be admitted to the hospital now. No matter how bad my health becomes, no matter how much pain my body suffers, this hunger strike will continue. This struggle will continue until 28 lakh Delhiites get their rightful share of water.”
It is unfortunate that the Water Minister of Delhi is on hunger strike which is under the nose of Prime Minister Modi: Sanjay Singh
Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that Delhi’s Water Minister Atishi is fighting for the rights of the people of Delhi. Delhi does not want any alms from the Prime Minister, we only want our share of water. Delhi’s water quota has not been increased since 1994, even in such adverse circumstances, the people of Delhi are alive. But now you are not giving even that water in full. Unfortunately, today Delhi’s Water Minister is on a hunger strike for water in the national capital, under the nose of the country’s Prime Minister Modi. To give the people of Delhi their rightful share of water, she requested everyone from LG, the Haryana government to the Prime Minister not to stop the water of the people of Delhi. But when the problem was not solved in any way, she had to sit on a hunger strike, tormenting her body, to get the people of Delhi their rights. This is not her fight alone, it is the fight of 28 lakh people of Delhi.
If Haryana’s BJP government does not give water to Delhi, we will expand the movement: Gopal Rai
AAP Delhi State Convenor and Cabinet Minister Gopal Rai said that injustice has been done to Delhi for the last 30 years. The amount of water that was allocated to Delhi in 1994, even after the population has increased three times, Delhi gets the same amount of water today. Despite that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal laid water pipelines in unauthorized colonies in the last 10 years based on his work and honesty and delivered water to every house in Delhi. Based on CM Arvind Kejriwal’s management, we were fulfilling the water needs of 3 crore people even after 30 years with the water that was being provided to 1 crore people.
“Today, BJP’s Haryana government is stopping 46 crore litres of water in Delhi every day. We are not begging, we are demanding the rights of the people of Delhi. We will peacefully protest and take our rights. But if they do not give us our rights, we will move towards a bigger movement. From today onwards, we will express our resolve by taking out candle marches every day. Tuesday is the fifth day of Atishi’s hunger strike. Our MLAs are also eager to support Atishi’s hunger strike. Therefore, we have decided that from Tuesday onwards, 5 MLAs will start a hunger strike every day in support of Atishi. If despite this, Delhi does not get its rights, then gradually the people of Delhi will also join this hunger strike. This movement will grow from this hunger strike site and will raise its voice in the whole of Delhi,” He added.
Prime Minister should ask Haryana Chief Minister to give Delhi its rightful share of water: Mahua Moitra
TMC MP Mahua Moitra said that in this Lok Sabha election, the people of the country broke the arrogance of the BJP and Prime Minister Modi. The BJP was raising the slogan of crossing 400, but it could not even cross the majority mark on its own. Due to their revenge politics, they stopped the money of MNREGA and Awas Yojana in Bengal and today they are making the people of Delhi yearn for water. This is inhuman.
Since 1994, Haryana has been giving 613 MGD water to Delhi every day, but in this scorching heat, the BJP government of Haryana has stopped 100 MGD of Delhi’s water. The people of Delhi gave all the 7 Lok Sabha seats to the BJP. Even after that, the BJP is giving so much trouble to the people of Delhi. The people of the country have always rejected the revenge politics of the BJP. Snatching away someone’s right to water is equal to snatching away their right to life. Prime Minister Modi should ask the Chief Minister of Haryana to give Delhi its rightful share of water. Delhi’s water minister is not begging from you, but asking for Delhi’s rights. The BJP and Haryana government should have some shame and give water to the people of Delhi. TMC is with the Aam Aadmi Party in this fight.
It is very shameful that Delhi’s Water Minister Atishi has to sit on hunger strike for water: Sagarika Ghose
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said that it is very shameful that Delhi’s water minister Atishi has to sit on a hunger strike for water. Why does Prime Minister Modi hate the public so much? TMC is with the Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi Government in this movement. Water is our right, we are not begging. What kind of a central government is this that is doing such disgusting politics over water? This is very shameful. TMC demands from BJP’s central government that it should tell its Haryana government to release Delhi’s water. Water Minister Atishi’s health, who is on a hunger strike, is continuously deteriorating. This is the fourth day of her hunger strike. We have to sit on a hunger strike to get water because the Modi government is discriminating against water. This kind of dictatorship will not work. We will raise the voice of Delhi in Parliament.
Why is BJP not giving water to Delhiites even after winning all seven seats in Delhi? Pratima Mondal
TMC MP Pratibha Mondal said that we all stand with Shri Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party and Atishi. Water is the right of Delhiites. The people of Delhi are not begging. The BJP has won all 7 seats in Delhi. Despite this, why is it not giving water to Delhiites? These people should think about the elderly and children of Delhi and give water to Delhi as soon as possible. BJP MPs of Delhi should hold a meeting and resolve the water issue as soon as possible. We pray that Atishi’s health remains good. We are with her in her fight.
The people of the country have taught Modi a lesson by giving strong opposition: Dr. Rajkumar
Dr. Rajkumar, AAP MP from Punjab, said that the BJP’s central government stops the funds of the states. The central government has stopped ₹8,500 crores of Punjab, but we never thought that the BJP government also stops the water of the states. It is a matter of shame. 28 lakh people of Delhi are affected today. Water Minister Atishi is on an indefinite fast. Punjab’s AAP unit is fully supporting her. It has been four days since the fast, Atishi’s blood sugar and BP are falling, but the central government is not even bothered. It is a big thing for a woman to sit on a fast. The people of the country have taught Modi a lesson by giving a strong opposition. Modi ji will be the first Prime Minister of the country who had to face opposition before taking oath. Nothing can be more saddening than this.
Haryana government is giving 100 MGD less water to Delhi for last three weeks, 28 lakh Delhiites are affected by this: Atishi
Water Minister Atishi, who is sitting on indefinite water Satyagraha, said that today is the fourth day of my fast. I am on fast because there is a huge shortage of water in Delhi. Delhi does not have any source of its own water. All the water of Delhi comes from neighboring states. A large part of it comes from Haryana. Haryana has to give 613 MGD water to Delhi, but the Haryana government is giving 100 MGD less water to Delhi for the last three weeks.100 MGD water is 46 crore litres of water and Delhi is getting 46 crore litres less water from Haryana every day. This 46 crore litres of water was for 28 lakh Delhiites. Today 28 lakh Delhiites are yearning for every drop of water. Women and children are troubled. They wait for water all night long, she stated.
