Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) President Devender Yadav on Sunday voiced strong criticism against both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for alleged mishandling of monsoon-related issues in the national capital.
In a statement, Yadav highlighted a series of incidents where individuals lost their lives due to waterlogging and related issues. Among the tragedies cited were the death of a man in Model Town, a 10-year-old boy in Aman Vihar who fell into a ditch, two boys in Kirari, three individuals in Jahangirpuri, and four civil service aspirants in Old Rajender Nagar and Patel Nagar. According to Yadav, these incidents contribute to a total of 23 deaths over the past 45 days.
“The AAP should be held responsible for these tragedies as the focus of the Delhi ministers and the government has been irrelevant issues to highlight their image, and not on the welfare, safety, and security of the people,” he stated.
Yadav criticised the BJP-led Central government, the AAP government in Delhi, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for what he described as a collective failure to bolster infrastructure to mitigate monsoon challenges. He alleged that post-incident blame games between these parties overshadowed the need for rectifying administrative shortcomings.
He also drew attention to the recent release of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on bail, suggesting that AAP’s focus on this event detracted from addressing pressing civic issues. “When the lives of the people were at risk due to the incompetent administration of the city by the AAP government and the MCD, the AAP leaders were making a big show of the release of Manish Sisodia,” Yadav remarked.
Addressing the perennial issue of overflowing sewers and drains during the monsoon, the Congress leader noted that despite Delhi Congress’s prior communications to the Lieutenant Governor advocating for timely desilting, substantial action was delayed. He mentioned that significant desilting of the Barapullah drain commenced only after directives from the National Green Tribunal.