"Chhath Puja will be celebrated with great pomp on Yamuna banks": Manoj Tiwari

New Delhi [India], October 12 (ANI): Ahead of the Chhath Puja festival, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari on Sunday asserted that under the leadership of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the festival will be celebrated with great pomp and splendour on the banks of the Yamuna River.
Speaking to ANI, Manoj Tiwari criticised the previous government's handling of the festival and the state of the river.
"The previous government talked a lot but did exactly the opposite. We are the BJP; we definitely do what we say. There are many things that we do not say, but we do. Today, the Yamuna is being cleaned, and the biggest thing is that 5 years ago, Arvind Kejriwal had stopped the Chhath festival on the Yamuna. This time, under the leadership of CM Rekha Gupta, we will celebrate Chhath with great pomp on the banks of the Yamuna. Whatever promises we have made, we will fulfil them; this is PM Modi's guarantee," he said.
Tiwari further spoke about ongoing efforts made to minimise and eliminate the foam on the Yamuna River.
"We are not claiming that it will be finished this year, but we will reduce its effect and in the next four years by the time the BJP's term in Delhi comes to an end, no foam will be seen in the Yamuna river. The river will be clean and people will be able to take a bath in it," he added.
Earlier, on October 4, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta conducted an inspection of the Yamuna River at Lakshmi Nagar.
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta spoke to reporters and said, "Chhath puja will be celebrated on Yamuna Ghats and we are fully committed to ensuring that this year, Delhities will have the opportunity to celebrate this beautiful and historic Chhath festival".
"We will set up Chhath Ghats from Palla to the last corner of Okhla, nearby densely populated areas of the Yamuna river", she added.
She also said that, Government will construct around 1000 chhath ghat points for celebrations and Delhi government is responsible for cleanliness and all arrangements of this festival.
"Due to the Chhath, the Yamuna will never be dirty; it is a pious festival of cleanliness, and it connects people with nature. Our government is ready to tackle any kind of problem during Chhath Puja," she added.
CM Rekha Gupta said that the national capital will witness a grand Chhath Puja this year, and arrangements will be made at banks on both sides of the Yamuna River. She said focus will be given to the cleanliness of the ghats.
"To ensure that the Chhath Puja festival is historic, this year, we will make a detailed plan and preparations for it. Arrangements for the Chhath puja will be done at banks on both sides of the river. Focus will be laid on cleanliness at the ghats.
Earlier, during his Mann Ki Baat address, PM Modi said that Delhi will witness a grand Chhath Puja this year. The PM said that the Government of India is working to get the Chhath Mahaparva added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
"I am very happy to inform you that the Government of India is also engaged in a major endeavour connected with Chhath Puja. The Government of India is striving to include the Chhath Mahaparva in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List. When Chhath Puja is included in the UNESCO list, people in every corner of the world will be able to experience its grandeur and divinity," PM Modi said. (ANI)