Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva and party MPs on Thursday lashed out at the AAP government for its alleged inaction, negligence, and lack of intent to resolve the water crisis leaving the people of the national capital high and dry.

During a joint press conference, the BJP leaders said despite adequate water released by Haryana, the city is facing a shortage. They blamed wastage, theft by the tanker mafias, and several other factors for the water woes of the city.

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Addressing the press conference, Virendra Sachdeva, accusing Water Minister Atishi of spreading lies on the issue, gave her an open challenge to get the documents related to water released by Haryana verified by concerned authorities.

“How water could come through tankers on payment and how bottled water is available while there is a shortage of water in Delhi,” he asked.

He asserted that there is no water crisis in Delhi but water corruption involving the entire Delhi government and the Aam Aadmi Party.

Union Minister Harsh Malhotra, Manoj Tiwari, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Yogendra Chandolia, and Bansuri Swaraj unanimously alleged that the development of the city has been hampered due to the incompetence and corruption of the Delhi government and the people, especially the poor, are struggling for a single bucket of water.

The BJP leadership strongly condemned the AAP Government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for their alleged misleading propaganda over water supply from Haryana.

Instead of seeking additional water from their government in Punjab, they are asking the Haryana and Himachal Pradesh governments to project the BJP and Congress governments as non-cooperative and thereby defame them.

Sachdeva pointed out that as per the directives given by the Yamuna Board on June 6 and June 14, Haryana is providing adequate water to Delhi. If the Delhi government feels that less water is being received, they should approach the Yamuna Board. The top leadership of Delhi BJP will accompany them.

Harsh Malhotra said the AAP runs away from away from taking responsibility whether in the Delhi government or the municipal corporation.

BJP leader Manoj Tiwari sought an explanation from the AAP government as to what they have done so far in the direction of conserving water and why they have not convened a special assembly session as yet to discuss the ongoing water crisis.

Taking a dig at the AAP government, he said they usually call special sessions, but this time, they are silent on this issue when it needs to be discussed.

BJP leader Yogendra Chandolia demanded an all-party meeting to discuss the current water situation and the water minister should explain what she has done to provide water to the people of Delhi.

Ms Swaraj, in a scathing attack, condemned the AAP government for neglecting Delhi’s water needs and alleged that the party focused on their publicity and promoted illegal tanker mafias.

The Delhi BJP leaders said that after continuously issuing false statements about the water supply from Haryana, the AAP government spoke to the Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, and is now presenting the factual data and information to the people of Delhi.

The saffron party’s state unit has been raising this issue since April and has consistently reiterated that there is no water crisis in Delhi, rather there is water corruption involving the entire Delhi government.

MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, addressing the media, criticised Kejriwal and his government for forgetting all the promises made in 2013, such as providing water through taps, removing tankers, and fixing leakages.

He noted that the number of tankers has increased from 734 during Sheila Dikshit’s regime to 1,204 while the leakage rose from 40 to 52 per cent in the last six years.