‘Promoting disharmony’: EC replies to Arvind Kejriwal’s response on Yamuna remarks
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday asked AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal to file another detailed response to his claim that the Haryana government was “mixing poison” in the Yamuna, saying his remarks prima facie appeared to promote disharmony.
The poll body has said that the response must be submitted by 11 am am on January 31, Friday, failing which it will take an appropriate decision without further reference.
“Coming back to your response on your statement under reference, Commission has prima facie found your allegations about poising of river Yamuna as promoting disharmony and enmity between different groups, and overall public disorder and unrest even by the most sober interpretation,” the Commission says in its letter.
The poll panel also warned warned the former Delhi chief minister that his statements could harm relations between residents of Haryana and Delhi, causing lasting division.
“As a prominent public figure and a former chief minister, the Commission need not remind you of the dire consequences that such utterances and actions of yours can have and leave permanent scars between well identifiable groups of residents of two States and /or living together in State of Haryana and NCT of Delhi,” the poll panel has written
The commission has asked Arvind Kejriwal for a detailed and specific response regarding the claim that “poison was mixed” in the Yamuna by the Haryana government.
It has sought clarity on key points, including the type of poison allegedly used, the evidence supporting this claim, the location where it was detected, and the engineers from the Delhi Jal Board involved in identifying and preventing its entry into Delhi.
The Election commission has also emphasised that the reply should focus solely on these issues and not be linked to the ongoing matter of rising ammonia levels in the Yamuna river.
On Wednesday, Kejriwal in his response to the Commission had said that raw water received from Haryana recently has been “highly contaminated and extremely poisonous” for human health.