Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday sharply criticized former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the rising pollution levels in the Yamuna River. In a harsh letter addressed to Kejriwal, Saxena held the AAP leader responsible for the current state of pollution, pointing to Kejriwal’s intervention in the Supreme Court, which had halted the cleaning efforts underway in the river.
Saxena wrote, “The Yamuna has reached its highest pollution level this year, and I personally hold you responsible for this. You filed a petition in the Supreme Court and stopped the cleaning work being carried out. I have repeatedly urged you to visit the city and assess the situation for yourself.”
He further criticized Kejriwal for not personally visiting the affected areas, like Rangpuri and Kapashera, despite Saxena’s previous request through a post on “X.” Instead, Saxena noted, Kejriwal had sent Atishi, a temporary Chief Minister, in his place.
In his letter, Saxena remarked, “It is somewhat reassuring that after ten years, you have finally begun acknowledging your responsibilities. You’ve started noticing the deteriorating condition of Delhi and the suffering of its people. I will continue to bring these issues to your attention moving forward.”
This marks another instance of the LG targeting Kejriwal over the state of Yamuna. Back in October, Saxena shared viral images of the heavily polluted river covered in white foam and questioned who was responsible for the deteriorating situation, particularly calling out the AAP government’s failure to address it despite promises of cleaning and revitalizing the river.