The Yamuna River in Delhi and the Sabarmati Riverfront in Gujarat are being compared in pictures and videos that are gaining traction ahead of Chhath Puja, a highly significant festival for Biharis and other North Indians.
Thousands of people are criticizing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Twitter over the Yamuna River’s extreme pollution while praising Gujarat’s Sabarmati Riverfront. By promising a clean Yamuna in a timely manner, Kejriwal’s AAP party has won two elections. However, Yamuna’s surface is still covered with foam. A vast number of Bihari people bathe in the river during the Chhath Puja celebration.
Since a few years ago, the devotees have been forced to choose between taking a bath in the contaminated, foam-mixed river waters or staying away. In an effort to save face this year, the Delhi Jal Board crews are spraying chemicals into the Yamuna River to dissolve the froth brought on by the severe pollution in Delhi. Although the optics may be saved, the chemical that is being sprayed is considered to be harmful to the skin. While Arvind Kejriwal is campaigning in Gujarat, the residents of Delhi are in danger of illness as a result of pollution in the Yamuna River.
Netizens highlight how the Sabarmati riverfront in Gujarat is clean and pristine as compared to squalor strewn on the Yamuna riverbank
Gujarat Based senior Journalist Nirnay Kapoor yesterday shared the pics of preparation at the Sabarmati riverfront and said, “Due to the pollution of Yamuna in Delhi, you are seeing the ruckus on Chhath Puja, now just look at the preparations for Chhath Puja in Ahmedabad, there are only 2-3% Bihari in Ahmedabad, this Chhath Ghat was built separately for them, which is being cleaned Yes, pollution is also “0” in Sabarmati.”
Now, a comparison video of the Sabarmati River in Gujarat and the Yamuna River in AAP-ruled Delhi is going popular on social media, with users pointing out the differences in cleanliness between the two rivers.
BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala also tweeted the pics for comparison and wrote, “On Left see Gujarat Model where preparations for Chhath Puja are being done in Ahmedabad On Right Hand Side is Kejriwal Model where toxic Silicone Defoamer was used & now there is a ban on all ghats of Yamuna Ji because Kejriwal betrayed Maa Yamuna.”
North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s former mayor Preety Agarwal, posted a comparison video with the caption, “The difference is clear.”
BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted, “Delhi’s air quality this morning is in “very poor” category. The Delhi University area, where Kejriwal lives, is worst affected. This is despite no Deepawali crackers. Yamuna is also frothing just before Chhat Puja. Incompetent Arvind Kejriwal is the person to be blamed for it all.”
Another Twitter user posted a meme regarding the same with the caption, “Delhi’s magician’s amazing. Yamuna river turned into Dal Lake.”
Chhath Puja will be celebrated on October 30. It is a celebration of the Sun God, the power source of our world, the one who makes life possible for us humans. Usha and Pratyusha, the two consorts of the Sun God are considered his energy that blesses humans with life, fertility, agriculture, and health.