IIT graduate CM criticised as Delhi air and Yamuna choke

In a sharp public critique, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has attacked former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, reminding citizens that despite his ring-fenced credential of being an IIT alumnus, his leadership fell short when it came to Delhi’s environmental crises. The focus of the criticism: the polluted state of the entity "place","Yamuna River", and chronic air-quality issues in the capital.

According to the BJP’s narrative, under the new Delhi administration led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, tangible progress has been made. They highlight a multi-pronged effort: cleaning up the Yamuna and deploying artificial-rain techniques to address the smog-choked skies. The BJP claims that Kejriwal’s government flaunted credentials while falling behind on fundamentals like clean air and water.

However, the opposition is quick to fire back. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accuses the BJP of staging a performance, pointing to allegations that fresh water from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh’s canal system was diverted into the Yamuna to make it appear cleaner just ahead of the Chhath festival, highlighting political optics over structural change.

Amid all this, the underlying reality remains troubling: the Yamuna’s water quality continues to face major challenges high levels of contamination, froth-covered stretches and unsafe conditions for ritual bathing persist. For Delhi residents, this is more than political point-scoring; it affects health, quality of life and the city’s image.

For Kejriwal and AAP, the task is two-fold: defend past performance and demonstrate credible progress ahead. For the BJP and CM Rekha Gupta, the moment offers a strong narrative but one they must back with sustained action, not just showpiece events.

Going forward, Delhi-ites will watch closely: Will river-cleaning efforts hold up? Will artificial-rain or pollution-control schemes translate into measurable improvement? Or will headlines fade while ground reality stays grim? The politics may be heavy, but for the everyday commuter, the outcome matters most.