New Delhi: BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has written to Delhi LG VK Saxena seeking a direction to officials to ensure timely cleaning of River Yamuna and necessary preparations ahead of Chhath festival celebrated post Diwali.
The North East Delhi MP also attacked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying he may "target" the festival of Purvanchalis to hide his failure of not cleaning the river. No immediate reaction was available from the AAP on Tiwari's charge. Chhath is celebrated by a large number of Purvanchalis and is held at riverbanks and other water bodies through performance of rituals in knee deep water to worship the Sun.
In his letter to Saxena, Tiwari accused the Kejirwal government of trying to ban Chhath in Delhi last year to "humiliate" 50 lakh Purvanchalis living in Delhi and also to cover up its failures. Last year the Delhi Disaster Management Authority(DDMA) had banned Chhath due to the Covid pandemic. However, later it had permitted celebration of the festival at designated ghats except along the Yamuna, amid vociferous protests by the BJP.
Kejriwal, who had first suggested that the ban was for the safety of the people in view of Covid, later came out in support of allowing the festival. "The way Kejriwal is serving lies to mislead the people and cover up scams of his government, it is suspected he may target Chhath to prevent the reality of Yamuna in Delhi to be exposed," Tiwari charged. He urged the LG to speed up schemes for cleaning of Yamuna and issue directions to officers concerned for timely preparations at the riverbank for celebrations of Chhath. (PTI)
