By Dr. Gyan Pathak
As Delhi Vidhan Sabha Election enters its final phase, it turns ugliest in the electoral history of India, with allegation by Arvind Kejriwal whose party is ruling Delhi of ‘poisoning Yamuna water’ by BJP ruled Haryana. It is ugliest, since poisoning drinking water source has always been considered worst of the crimes throughout human history. Though poisoning drinking water source is a crime, the allegation comes in immediate jurisdiction of the Election Commission of India, because Delhi is in election mode, and Kejriwal has claimed that “it was a conspiracy to disrupt the functioning of Delhi’s water treatment plants and create public outrage against AAP.”
Former Chief Minister and AAP Supremo had made this allegation in a election rally, and Chief Minister Atishi and Delhi’s Minister of Health Saurabh Bharadwaj have been echoing Kejriwal’s claim. Their claims can’t be summarily dismissed without investigation of the matter, in the backdrop of earlier allegation of AAP led government of Delhi that BJP led Centre has been interfering though their representative Lieutenant Governor and the officers put under LG. AAP had to go to Supreme Court of India with allegations that officers are not listening to even their ministers, and thereby disrupting the functioning of the elected government. Supreme Court observed in several cases that AAP was right. BJP and its governments have actually been found disrupting the functioning of the AAP government and their schemes.
Disrupting functioning of the government machinery with a view to distort level playing field during election is violation of “free and fair” poll mandate to the Election Commission of India. But even before Election Commission issued notice with a threat to Arvind Kejriwal to give proof of poison or face action, Delhi Jal Board CEO Shilpa Shinde labelled Kejriwal’s allegations “factually incorrect … misleading”.
The issue of Delhi officials not listening to the elected AAP government in Delhi is well known by now. They have been listening to the LG, and indirectly the Union Government led by BJP, or the BJP leaders. It is in this backdrop, Delhi Jal Board CEO’s contradicting Kejriwal and defending BJP led Haryana government by emphasizing Haryana’s measures to address pollution in Yamuna water, amid rising political tensions between AAP and BJP during the Delhi Election campaign is a direct political involvement. Even earlier, two officers had issued public notices that AAP’s electoral promises were fraudulent.
Election Commission of India was expected to take action against officials who have been favouring one political party against the other in the line of their mandate of conducting “free and fair” election. However, Election Commission chose to ignore such behaviour of the government officials.
Moreover, Election Commission of India, has no business in keeping any “presumption” over any allegation made by leader of one party on another. The language of the Election Commission was an unnecessary threat to Kejriwal to provide proof of poisoning or face action. The language was certainly not proverbial “without malice or favour”. Even after Kejriwal has submitted his reply, in which he mentioned “highly contaminated and extremely poisonous” Yamuna water with ammonia from upper riparian, EC officials have been reported saying that they would insist on proof of “poisoning”.
Kejriwal, in his 14-page response to EC, has specifically mentioned the level of ammonia discharged upstream in Haryana. Ammonia is a toxic substance, so it acts as poison when crosses the exposure limit for human beings. Even DJB CEO’s letter to chief secretary of Delhi mentioned 6.5 ppm of ammonia while DJB water treatment plants were designed to treat up to 1ppm. Therefore, it is well established that poison was in the raw Yamuna water, a serious health hazard. One can search “ammonia poisoning” on the internet and would find what the hazards are.
The presence of toxic ammonia in Yamuna water from upstream is well documented. However, EC is concerned only about the act of “poisoning” allegation on BJP led government in Haryana, since Kejriwal has alleged that ammonia level in the water being supplied to Delhi were around 3 ppm but spiked to 7ppm after January 21, as part of political conspiracy create public outrage against AAP. It should be noted that the last date of withdrawal of nomination for Delhi Election was January 20, and actual election campaign had started from January 21. It’s a matter of serious investigation, and Election Commission of India must act to fix accountability without malice or favour to ensure free and fair poll.
In the meantime, Chief Minister of Haryana has denied states involvement in poisoning Yamuna water through discharge of untreated sewage and industrial waste in Haryana.
Election Commission has asked Kejriwal not to mix the issue of high ammonia in Yamuna water with his allegations of “poisoning”. Kejriwal has responded to the second notice from EC and said, “Rajiv Kumar (Chief Election Commissioner) wants a post-retirement job. No one has ruined democracy as much as he has. The language he has used is not the Election Commission’s job.”
It should also be noted that Election Commission of India has been alleged for a decade now of functioning in partisan way favouring BJP and its leaders while taking prompt and strong actions against the opposition and their leaders, on issues whether those were hate speech or violation of election code of conduct. It is high time that Election Commission prove itself impartial in the “Yamuna Water poisoning” row.
Though the Election Commission has also issued notice to BJP led government of Haryana, its notices to AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal has been particularly threatening, which proves that the Commission has certain presumptions against AAP even without investigating the matter.
Kejriwal still asserts that 7 ppm of ammonia was equivalent to “poison” and reiterates that the BJP-led government in Haryana was contaminating the river, putting the lives of Delhi Residents at risk. “Amit Shah ji, Rajiv Kumar ji, Rahul Gandhi, Sandeep Dikshit ji, show us that you can drink this water with 7 ppm ammonia in front of the media. You are sending 7 ppm water to Delhi and claiming that Kejriwal is lying,” Kejriwal has said.
Kejriwal says that safe drinking water is basic human right, and it is not an offence to raise the issue of toxic water supply to Delhi. We have raised the issue earlier also with National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court of India.
Allegation of “poisoning water as political strategy” must be investigated, along with the issue of presence of toxic ammonia and other chemicals in Yamuna water supply, and appropriate measures be taken. Focus on resolution of the problem is more important than playing dirty politics. (IPA Service)
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