New Delhi:The Congress' interim Delhi chief Devender Yadav on Sunday alleged that instead of finding a solution to the water shortage issue in the national capital, Water Minister Atishi and BJP MPs and leaders are "playing politics" over it.
In a statement, Yadav said Atishi, who has accused BJP-ruled Haryana of depriving nearly 28 lakh people of Delhi by releasing 100 million gallons per day (MGD) less water, is indulging in political showmanship.
The minister, who is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike to seek release of Delhi's share of water, should have taken effective steps to address the issue on a priority before staging the "Jal Satyagrah drama", he said.
Yadav also slammed the BJP's "gamesmanship" over the water shortage issue and said its seven MPs from Delhi should have taken up the matter with the Haryana government as well as the Union Jal Shaki minister on the BJP-ruled state releasing less water.
Instead of protesting on the streets and getting drenched by the Delhi Police's water cannons during this acute crisis, the BJP leaders should have worked to resolve the issue and save the people from agony and misery.
Earlier in the day, Atishi alleged Delhi is not getting its share of water as Haryana has shut all the gates of the Hathnikund barrage and asserted she will continue her indefinite hunger strike over the issue. The closure of the gates of the barrage on the Yamuna river, she said, has led to the water shortage in the national capital.
Her hunger strike seeking release of its share of water for Delhi, which is under the grip of a severe shortage amid a searing heat wave, entered its third day on Sunday. Yadav also took the Delhi government to task over the deaths of more than 200 people in the searing heat wave battering the city.
It was really shocking that, according to official figures, 238 poor people have lost their lives due to the unrelenting heat wave sweeping the city but the Delhi government's health minister is issuing statements to justify his inaction, he alleged.
