New Delhi, Jan 29 : Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Wednesday hit out at Lieutenant-Governor (LG) V. K. Saxena in a letter, accusing him of peddling a "false narrative" on the toxins in the Yamuna River, and said that if he was "incapable" of fulfilling duties as the LG, he should step aside and make way for those who are willing to act in the interest of residents of the national Capital. CM Atishi's letter to the LG comes a day after Saxena sent her a communication expressing concern over the AAP's National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal's remark that the Yamuna River was being "poisoned" by the Haryana government.The LG had also advised the Delhi CM to "rise above narrow politics" and slammed her for "failing" to condemn statements that can sow discord between neighbouring states. In a letter to the LG on Wednesday, CM Atishi said, "Instead of addressing the pressing issue of dangerously high ammonia levels in Delhi's water, you have placed baseless accusations and peddled a false narrative to deflect from your utter failure in fulfilling your responsibilities." She asked Saxena not to "follow the orders of his political masters (BJP)" but to prioritise the welfare of the people in the national Capital.

CM Atishi wrote that the LG "bowed to his political interest instead of prioritising public interest", claiming that despite knowing that high ammonia levels in drinking water cause severe harm, including organ damage and developmental issues, this water was supplied to households in the national Capital. She mounted the attack on LG Saxena, saying that despite being in control of the Delhi Jal Board, he neither took meaningful steps to resolve this issue nor demonstrated even a semblance of urgency to protect public health but prioritised "political agenda" over the well-being of the people he swore to serve.

The controversy erupted after the AAP accused the BJP-led Haryana government of the "deliberate and indiscriminate" release of untreated water into the Yamuna River, to "derail" Delhi's water supply. However, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini responded with a defamation threat and said the charge was baseless. The political blame game got a fresh twist after Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said that he was surprised why Haryana Police was not initiating any action against AAP leaders for such "blatant lies".

/IANS