Delhi Water Minister Atishi commenced an indefinite hunger strike in Bhogal, south Delhi, today, urging the Haryana government to release more water to the national capital amidst an ongoing intense heatwave. She was joined by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal, AAP MP Sanjay Singh, and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj as she began her protest.
Sunita Kejriwal read a message from the Chief Minister, who is currently in Tihar jail, expressing hope for the success of Atishi’s ‘tapasya’. In his message, Kejriwal conveyed his deep concern for the people suffering from water shortages during the severe heatwave, emphasizing the cultural importance of providing water to the thirsty.
“Delhi gets water from neighboring states. We hoped for the support of these states in such intense heat. But, Haryana reduced Delhi’s water share,” Kejriwal said, referring to the BJP-led government in Haryana. “Although there are governments of different parties in the two states, is this the time for politics over water?”
Atishi, along with Sunita Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and other leaders, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat before heading to Bhogal. Atishi highlighted the critical need for water in Delhi due to the extreme heat, stating that the city’s water requirements have significantly increased. Despite her appeals to the Haryana government and her letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi has not received adequate water.
“I am left with no choice now but to start an indefinite hunger strike since I was unable to watch the plight of the men, women, and children of Delhi. This indefinite Jal Satyagrah will continue till Delhi gets water from Haryana,” Atishi declared.
Delhi receives 1,005 million gallons per day (MGD) of water, but for the past two weeks, Haryana has provided only 513 MGD instead of the usual 613 MGD. Atishi claimed that more than 2.8 million people are facing a shortage due to Haryana withholding 100 MGD of water. Furthermore, she stated that Haryana has reduced Delhi’s water share by an additional 120 MGD in the last two days.
Earlier in the day, Atishi announced on social media that she would begin her indefinite hunger strike in Bhogal, expressing her frustration over Haryana’s refusal to release Delhi’s full share of water. “I will start ‘Pani Satyagraha’ from today… I will start an indefinite fast at Bhogal, Jangpura from noon until the people of Delhi get their rightful share of water from Haryana,” she posted on X.
Delhi is grappling with an unprecedented heatwave, which has exacerbated the water demand, making the situation more dire and pressing the need for immediate action.
Sources By Agencies