Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena launched a stinging rebuke against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday, alleging that the supposed letter from AAP General Secretary Pankaj Gupta regarding the Delhi water crisis was never delivered to the LG Secretariat, calling it a calculated maneuver to create “media-oriented drama.”
AAP General Secretary Pankaj Gupta had purportedly written a letter to the Delhi LG, seeking an appointment to discuss Delhi’s ongoing water crisis with senior AAP leaders, including its Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). The letter also sought the participation of councillors in the discussion.
“A letter, allegedly penned by Pankaj Gupta, seeking a meeting with Hon’ble LG along with AAP MPs, MLAs, and Councillors, has been circulating in the media since evening. The media has been questioning the LG’s Secretariat about the receipt of this letter. However, when a few individuals arrived at the LG Secretariat at 9:45 PM to submit the said letter, they left before the staff could attend to them. Clearly, the exercise is yet another attempt not to resolve the ‘water issue’ but to stage another media spectacle,” read a post from Raj Niwas Delhi on X.
The post continued: “The purported letter to HLG (Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor) has not been authored by any MP, Water Minister, Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), MLA, Mayor, or Councillor. It seeks a meeting with all AAP MPs, MLAs, and Councillors. Notably, it was not delivered at the LG Secretariat, serving only as an eyewash. The intentions behind this act are glaringly clear.”
In response, the Delhi LG Secretariat announced that LG Saxena is prepared to meet with a delegation of 10 representatives on Sunday to explore potential solutions for the water crisis plaguing Delhi.
“Nevertheless, HLG is looking forward to meeting 10 representatives to discuss any possible measures to alleviate the water problem for Delhi residents, scheduled for 12:15 PM tomorrow, Sunday, 23.06.24, at the LG Secretariat.
. This has been communicated to Pankaj Gupta,” the statement read.
Earlier, the Lieutenant Governor had criticized the AAP-led Delhi government over recurring water shortages, accusing them of perpetuating a blame game annually. Saxena remarked that every year, the people of Delhi witness “heart-rending scenes of residents chasing after water tankers and facing water scarcity,” followed by the same recycled narrative from the government on social media and during press conferences.
“These issues are not new to Delhi. It’s a persistent cycle year after year, with the government repeating the same blame game. It is high time the AAP administration re-evaluates its governance model rather than indulging in accusations and theatrics through social media and press writings. The lack of seriousness in governance is deeply troubling. As the Constitutional Head of Delhi, I am disheartened by the AAP government’s overall approach to governance and delivery of public services,” Saxena expressed.
Amidst these developments, Delhi Minister Atishi has embarked on an indefinite hunger strike against the ongoing water crisis. She claimed on Saturday that despite trying “everything,” she was compelled to undertake a fast after the Haryana government refused to provide the necessary water supply.
Atishi, who also serves as Delhi’s Water Minister, began her hunger strike on Friday at Bhogal, near Jangpura, accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and other AAP leaders.
Concurrently, the Aam Aadmi Party has formally written to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena concerning the acute water shortage across the capital. A delegation comprising AAP MPs, MLAs, and other party leaders is scheduled to meet the Lieutenant Governor at 11 AM tomorrow to deliberate on the issue.
The water crisis in Delhi has forced many residents to rely on water tankers to meet their daily needs. Despite repeated assurances from the government, the delivery of reliable water supply to various localities remains a contentious and unresolved issue.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)
