Delhi BJP chief hospitalized after dip in Yamuna
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Virendra Sachdeva was hospitalized on Saturday, nearly 48 hours after he took a dip in the heavily polluted Yamuna River. He is currently undergoing treatment at RML Nursing Home for "skin infection and breathing difficulties." Sachdeva took a dip in the Yamuna at a ghat near ITO on Thursday to protest the "corruption" of the Delhi government, which he claimed deprived the city of funds intended for river cleaning.
BJP accuses AAP of mismanaging Yamuna cleaning funds
Following Sachdeva's claims, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai stated that the BJP was inciting a "drama" and exacerbating the issue of growing pollution levels in Delhi. "As for the Yamuna and pollution in Delhi, we would like to say one thing to the BJP: pollution cannot be reduced through theatrics. It requires a collaborative effort from everyone. We believe that if all governments and citizens work together, we can certainly succeed in reducing pollution levels," he said.
Sachdeva at RML hospital
Yamuna pollution becomes focal point ahead of elections
The matter of Yamuna's pollution has become a bone of contention between AAP and BJP as Chhath Puja nears and Delhi Assembly polls loom. The BJP has accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of misappropriating ₹8,500 crore meant for Yamuna cleaning projects. The AAP, in turn, has blamed BJP-led governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for releasing polluted water into the river.
