On Sunday (July 11), BJP leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took a dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) politicians for blaming other States for flooding in Delhi and Punjab.
In a tweet, he said, “Every year, we receive water from Bhutan, Arunachal, and even from China. We face floods with brave hearts. We experience pain and misery beyond human imagination, yet we do not blame others.”
Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasised, “Because we know that nature does not recognise geography.” The development comes days after prominent AAP leaders such as Atishi Marlena, and Arvind Kejriwal blamed Haryana for flooding in the National Capital.
Every year, we receive water from Bhutan, Arunachal, and even from China. We face floods with brave hearts. We experience pain and misery beyond human imagination, yet we do not blame others. Because we know that nature does not recognize geography.#delhiflood
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 16, 2023
The Background of the Controversy
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-run-governments in Delhi and Punjab have resorted to political blame games after they failed to prepare for the catastrophic floods in advance.
AAP supremo and Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal, has now blamed the Haryana government for putting the National Capital in such a perilous situation. As per reports, he has accused the BJP-ruled State of releasing water from the Hathnikund barrage and flooding Delhi.
My letter to Union Home Minister on Yamuna flood levels… pic.twitter.com/dqDMLWuIfe
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 12, 2023
On Wednesday (July 12), he wrote a letter to the Union Home Ministry and blamed the situation on the Haryana government instead of the incessant rain. Similar claims were made by AAP leader Atishi Marlena.
“It is a big question why all the water from Hathnikund Barrage was being released only for Delhi. Not a single drop of water was released into the canals going to UP and Haryana from there. Haryana will have to answer for this. Can the flood situation in Delhi have been avoided?” she hinted at a larger conspiracy of the BJP govt.
#WATCH | Yamuna river water is receding, the people of Delhi will get relief in the next 12 hours…It is a big question why all the water from Hathnikund Barrage was being released only for Delhi. Not a single drop of water was released into the canals going to UP and Haryana… pic.twitter.com/Zlb5i77Bqg
— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2023
Meanwhile, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann claimed that the Centre, through the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), was scheduled to release 20000 cusecs of water into the Sutlej River and the situation was averted only after the government’s objection.
Another Punjab Minister named Chetan Singh Jauramajra accused the Haryana government of being responsible for waterlogging in several villages of Punjab. He claimed that the Manohar Khattar-led-government failed to clean a siphon in the Ghaggar River on the Hansi-Butana canal stretch on time.
Himanta Biswa Sarma thus took potshots at the AAP governments for failing to control the situation and instead passing on the blame to other states.