'I will die but…': Assam CM Himanta Sarma's ‘birthplace’ dig at Arvind Kejriwal over ‘poisoning Yamuna’ claim

Himanta Biswa Sarma criticised Arvind Kejriwal for his claims about Haryana poisoning Yamuna water, questioning his loyalty to his birthplace.

Updated on: Jan 29, 2025, 18:26:28 IST

By HT News Desk

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Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday slammed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal over his “poisoning Yamuna waters by Haryana” allegation, saying the statement shows the former Delhi CM’s "mentality".

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the 5th year celebration event of the Bodo Peace Accord, in Kokrajhar on Tuesday. (ANI/Abdul Sajid)

Himanta Biswa Sarma also asked how Arvind Kejriwal could make such an allegation against Haryana – his birthplace – like that. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said he would rather die than speak wrong about his birthplace.

"To divert the issue of polluted Yamuna River, Arvind Kejriwal started a new story and said that Haryana is supplying polluted water to Delhi...How can he speak like this for his birthplace...I will die but never speak wrong about my birthplace...This statement by Arvind Kejriwal shows his mentality,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said on the issue.

The chief minister also claimed that he had never seen a politician who spoke ill about their place of birth.

“I have seen many politicians but never saw such a politician who speaks wrong about his birthplace," Sarma added.

This comes amid the ongoing row over Kejriwal's claims that Haryana's BJP government was ‘poisoning the Yamuna water’ that it sends to Delhi for drinking purposes.

PM Narendra Modi, others slam Arvind Kejriwal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the critics of Arvind Kejriwal's remarks on the Yamuna poisoning. Addressing a campaign rally for the upcoming Delhi assembly election, Modi said that the incumbent party in the national capital has become ‘desperate due to fear of defeat’.

“A former CM has made malicious allegations against the people of Haryana. AAP-da people have become desperate due to the fear of defeat. Is Haryana different from Delhi? Don't they have children and relatives in Delhi? Will they mix poison for their own people?” PTI quoted PM Modi as saying.

Congress leader Ajay Maken also criticised Kejriwal's statement, calling it ‘treason’ if the former CM was lying.

Amid the uproar, the Delhi Jal Board CEO Shilpa Shinde wrote a letter to the Delhi chief secretary, calling the allegations “factually incorrect, without basis, and misleading”. She underscored the potential harm such claims could pose to interstate relations and public confidence.

The Haryana government, on the other hand, is planning legal action against the AAP chief.

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