BJP, AAP play 'blame game' over Delhi floods
What's the story
The recent floods that wreaked havoc in several parts of Delhi triggered a political blame game between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
While Delhi minister Atishi Marlena questioned the BJP-led coalition government in neighboring Haryana over releasing water from Hathnikund Barrage to Delhi, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij publicly bashed the AAP-led Delhi government on Saturday.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Delhi received 153mm of rainfall in 24 hours on July 8-9, the highest in 41 years.
As a result of the heavy downpours in North India and Northwest India, water levels in most major rivers in the regions went up substantially.
Haryana also released nearly one lakh cusecs of water into the Yamuna River, resulting in the Delhi government to issue a flood warning.
Details
We don't blame anyone: Vij
Speaking to the news agency ANI, Vij said, "In our state, also water came from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, but we are not blaming anyone. We are trying to make arrangements."
"All the villages and cities on the banks of the Yamuna have received the same amount of water. Why would we deliberately release water in our districts?" the BJP's Haryana minister added.
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CM Khattar attacks Kejriwal, Delhi government
Separately, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also took a dig at his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and said, "It seems that Haryana has become a nightmare for Kejriwal whenever Delhi is in trouble."
"When Arvind Kejriwal fails to find any solution, he starts playing the blame game," news outlet The Indian Express quoted Khattar as saying.
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Habit of blaming neighboring states: Dushyant Chautala
On the other hand, Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) leader and Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala also claimed that Kejriwal had the habit of blaming neighboring states.
"Arvind Kejriwal, who was born in Haryana, likes to blame Haryana for all the issues of Delhi," said Chautala.
He also urged the APP supremo to join hands and fight this crisis "instead of playing the blame game."
Further information
AAP blames Haryana for Delhi floods: Know more
Notably, the AAP has been blaming the saffron brigade-ruled Haryana for the current flood-like situation in the national capital.
Earlier on Saturday, Delhi minister Atishi said, "Yamuna River water is receding; the people of Delhi will get relief in the next 12 hours."
"It is a big question why all the water from Hathnikund Barrage was being released only for Delhi," she alleged.
Twitter Post
Video of Atishi's remarks on Haryana government
#WATCH | Yamuna river water is receding, the people of Delhi will get relief in the next 12 hours...It is a big question why all the water from Hathnikund Barrage was being released only for Delhi. Not a single drop of water was released into the canals going to UP and Haryana… pic.twitter.com/Zlb5i77Bqg
— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2023
Further details
Bharti calls Delhi floods 'BJP-made disaster'
Meanwhile, AAP leader Somnath Bharti also blamed the flood-like situation in the national capital on the saffron brigade and termed it a "BJP-made disaster."
"The east and west canals (of the Yamuna River) that flow to Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are completely dry," Bharti claimed.
"The water flow has been diverted toward Delhi purposely," alleged the AAP leader.