On camera, DJB official bathes in Yamuna after abuses by BJP MP Parvesh Verma

After getting into a verbal spat with BJP MLA Parvesh Verma, DJB official Sharma took on the challenge and used the Yamuna water to bathe with, assuring devotees that it is safe to take a holy dip.

A Delhi Jal Board official, who was targeted by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Parvesh Verma for spraying “toxic” defoaming liquid in the Yamuna river earlier this week, on Sunday took a bath – on camera – on the banks with water collected from the river to prove that the chemicals used were completely safe.

DJB official Sanjay Sharma, who was attacked by BJP MP Parvesh Verma over toxic chemicals, takes a bath with Yamuna water (Twitter)

DJB director for quality control Sanjay Sharma got into a verbal spat with the BJP leader who called him ‘besharam’ (shameless) and ‘ghatiya aadmi’ (cheap person) and accused him of not stopping the spraying of chemicals in the Yamuna river ahead of Chhath Puja.

A video of the incident was widely telecasted and circulated on social media platforms, where Verma challenged the official to take a dip in the river.

It was also later tweeted by DJB vice chairman and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, who said the BJP was trying to stop the work done by the Delhi government ahead of the festival.

DJB official Sharma took on the challenge and used the Yamuna water to bathe with, assuring devotees that it is safe to take a holy dip. A video of officials taking a boat ride to collect the water from the river – which Sharma then pours on himself – is doing rounds on social media.

“Today in front of all the media, the Director Quality of Delhi Government DJB - Sanjay Sharma took a bath with water from Yamuna. He said the water is absolutely safe for bathing. Glory to the Chhath Maiya!”

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Sharma said he decided to bathe with the Yamuna water to address the rumours being spread among people, especially Chhath devotees, that poisonous chemicals were being used as a defoamer in the water. The chemical based defoamer being used in Yamuna is not harmful, he said.