"Shows his desperation, frustration": Union Minister Puri slams Kejriwal over "poisoned water" remark

New Delhi [India], January 28 (ANI): Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday slammed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, saying that the allegations made by him are reflective of his "desperation" and "frustration".
"He is saying that the BJP government in Haryana wants to poison Delhi. Earlier, I used to doubt his mental coordinates, but his statements yesterday show that his desperation and frustrations are at their peak. He has got the reply from the Delhi Jal Board CEO and the people of Haryana," Puri told ANI.
His reaction comes in response to Kejriwal's statement on Monday, in which he alleged that Delhi's water supply had been "poisoned" and accused the Haryana government of planning a "genocide" against Delhi residents.
"If this water would have entered Delhi only to be mixed with the drinking water, many people would have died in Delhi. It would have caused mass genocide," Kejriwal had alleged.
Congress leader Ajay Maken criticised Kejriwal over allegations regarding Delhi's water supply, stating that if the former Chief Minister's claims are false, it amounts to "treason."
"If Arvind Kejriwal is lying about mixing poison in the water, it is treason," Maken said in a press conference, adding that the statements made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana and Kejriwal must be investigated. "If the Haryana government is wrong, action should be taken. If Arvind Kejriwal is spreading rumours, action should be taken against him," Maken said.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India has asked AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal to provide factual evidence to substantiate his serious allegations that the river Yamuna was poisoned by the neighbouring Haryana state.
The Commission has directed Kejriwal to furnish his response on the complaints, especially on the factual and legal matrix along with evidentiary support thereof by 8PM on 29th January, so as to enable the Commission to examine the matter and take action as appropriate.
The Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, with the counting of votes set for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are competing for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi.
The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and failed to win any seats. In contrast, AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections, winning 67 and 62 seats, respectively, out of a total of 70 seats, while BJP secured only three and eight seats in these elections. (ANI)