Arvind Kejriwal responds to Election Commission, says ammonia levels in Yamuna River have reached peak

This comes after the AAP supremo accused the BJP government in Haryana of polluting the raw water supply to the national capital.

In his reply, Kejriwal cited a letter from the Delhi Jal Board that maintains that ammonia levels in the Yamuna River have reached such levels that the water purification plants cannot perform at full capacity.

"The verifiable fact remains that Delhi, as a lower riparian state, depends on raw water supply from Haryana, an upper riparian state, for potable water," the letter read.

Days ahead of the assembly election in Delhi, Kejriwal had claimed that the BJP was "mixing poison" in the city's water supply to "create chaos... hoping the blame will fall" on his party's administration.

"The people of Delhi get drinking water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh... but the Haryana government has mixed poison in the water coming to Delhi from the Yamuna and sent it here... it is only due to the vigilance of our Delhi Jal Board engineers that this water was stopped," he had said.

Following this, the Election Commission of India (ECI) asked Kejriwal to provide proof supporting his allegation by 8 pm on Wednesday following a BJP complaint.

In its letter, the ECI said the charge was serious, having the potential to create animosity between states while carrying a provision of a three-year jail term.

Even the Delhi Jal Board has rejected Kejriwal's claims and said on X, "The statement of former Chief Minister and present Chief Minister that the Haryana government has released 'poison in the water' is false, misleading, and factually incorrect.

"Such alarmist statements amount to fear mongering. Water in river Yamuna is of the same quality."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day ripped apart Kejriwal for his claims that Haryana poisoned the Yamuna river in the run-up to the February 5 assembly elections in the national capital.

Addressing a rally in Delhi, Modi said the ruling Aam Aadmi Party is "worried due to fear of defeat".

The PM, who is the chief campaigner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said, "In their political interest, AAP-D people have committed another grave sin and this sin can never be forgiven. A former Chief Minister of Delhi has made disgusting allegations against the people of Haryana. AAP leaders are worried due to fear of defeat. Is Haryana different from Delhi? Don't the children, family and relatives of people from Haryana live in Delhi?

Can the people of Haryana mix poison in the water of their own children? Everyone living in Delhi drinks the same water sent by Haryana; for the past 11 years, even the Prime Minister drinks it; all the judges and all other respected people also drink it."

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini wednesday took a sip of water "without hesitation" directly from the river at Delhi's Palla village.

"... I drank the water of the holy Yamuna on the Haryana border. (Delhi Chief Minister) Atishiji did not come. She must be making up a new lie (but) lies have no legs. That is why the lies of AAP-da (the BJP's new pejorative for the Aam Aadmi Party) are not working," he said on X.

"The people of Haryana are not responsible for your failures, you ungrateful son Kejriwal. The people of Haryana are the ones who do pious deeds," he said slamming Kerjiwal.

"On February 5, the people of Delhi are going to finally immerse themselves in all the sins of lies and deceit committed by Kejriwal and his AAP team in the last 10 years, in betraying Mother Yamuna," the Haryana CM claimed.

Kejriwal's AAP has been ruling Delhi, a union territory, uninterrupted since 2015.

While the AAP is aiming for a consecutive third term, Modi's BJP is eyeing a comeback to power after 27 years.