“Promoting disharmony and enmity…”: ECI Seeks Clarification from Kejriwal over his Haryana “Poisoning” Yamuna Claim

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal to submit a detailed response to his allegation that the Haryana government is "mixing poison" in the Yamuna River. The poll body stated that Kejriwal's allegations seemed to “promote disharmony”, urging him to file his response by 11 am on January 31. Failure to comply will result in the Commission taking an appropriate decision without further notice.

In its letter, the Election Commission noted that, upon initial review, Kejriwal's remarks about the poisoning of the Yamuna appeared to cause division. "The Commission has prima facie found your allegations about poisoning of river Yamuna as promoting disharmony and enmity between different groups, and overall public disorder and unrest even by the most sober interpretation," the letter stated.

The poll panel also cautioned Kejriwal about the potential consequences of his statements. It warned that his remarks could harm relations between the residents of Haryana and Delhi, creating lasting divisions. "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 the State of Haryana and NCT of Delhi," the Election Commission wrote.

The ECI has asked Kejriwal for a detailed and specific response, requesting clarity on several points. These include the type of poison allegedly used, the evidence supporting his claims, the exact location where it was detected, and the involvement of engineers from the Delhi Jal Board in identifying and preventing the poison’s entry into Delhi's water supply. The Commission emphasized that the response should focus only on these issues and not include references to the rising ammonia levels in the Yamuna, a separate matter. Earlier, in his reply to the Election Commission, Kejriwal had asserted that the raw water received from Haryana was "highly contaminated and extremely poisonous" for human health.a​​​