Delhi Jal Board Office Vandalised, 3 Injured In Clash Over Water Shortage

New Delhi: Amid severe water crisis in the capital, the Delhi Jal Board office in Chhatarpur area was vandalised on Sunday by unidentified individuals.

While BJP leaders have blamed AAP for the severe water crisis accusing them of corruption and mismanagement, AAP alleged that the vandals were saffron party leaders and workers. AAP also shared a video of the incident in which a man was wearing a BJP scarf.

“See how BJP workers are breaking the office of Delhi Jal Board while shouting slogans of ‘BJP Zindabad. On one hand, the BJP government of Haryana is withholding Delhi’s rightful share of water, while on the other hand, the BJP is damaging the property of the people of Delhi,” AAP wrote on X.

Refuting the allegations, BJP said that the party’s workers rather controlled the agitators. “It is natural. The people can do anything when they are angry. I am grateful to BJP workers who controlled those people…It is the government’s and people’s property. There is no benefit in damaging this property,” Hindustan Times reported quoting BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri.

In another incident, three persons were injured in a clash over access to water from a common tap in Dwarka. The injured were taken to Indira Gandhi Hospital. The Delhi police had received PCR calls in this regard and have registered cross-cases based on statements from both parties. Further investigation is underway.

Earlier BJP MP Harsh Malhotra had accused the AAP government of corruption and mismanagement. “Delhi government is receiving enough water for the public. The shortage that we are facing today is because of their corruption, non-planning, and non-action,” he said.

Delhi Water Minister Atishi has requested Delhi’s Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora for deployment of personnel to protect major water pipelines from potential sabotage.

BJP MP from West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, Kamaljeet Sehrawat has, however, blamed water theft for the crisis. “Water crisis in Delhi is very severe, the public is suffering. The main reason for this shortage is water theft, theft by private water tankers and Delhi Jal Board’s lines being broken at many places, theft from them, that is, mismanagement of the Delhi Government. All the water that should come from Haryana’s Munak canal is coming, there is no shortage in it,” she told ANI.