Artificial Yamuna created for PM Aam Aadmi Party claims — The political landscape in Delhi has erupted after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the BJP-led Delhi administration of constructing a “fake Yamuna” filled with filtered drinking water for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Chhath Puja dip. The opposition claims the spectacle was designed for optics — to impress the nation and sway Bihar voters — while the real Yamuna remains filthy and toxic.
AAP’s Explosive Allegation:Fake Yamuna for PM Modi’s Photoshoot
AAP leaders claimed that a fake ghat was secretly constructed near Vasudev Ghat along the Yamuna. They alleged that land was dug up, filled with purified water, and then partitioned off to appear like part of the natural river. Cameramen, they say, were instructed to shoot only from the left side, creating the illusion that PM Modi was taking a holy dip in the Yamuna itself. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP of orchestrating “the biggest photo-op scam in recent memory.”
“The Government of India has mastered one art — the art of make-believe! The real Yamuna is filled with toxins, yet Modiji gets a pond of filtered water for his photoshoot,” he said. AAP argued that this act was not only deceptive but also an insult to thousands of Chhath devotees who would be entering the polluted Yamuna for their rituals.
BJP Fires Back- “AAP’s Drama Has No Limits”
The BJP, however, hit back hard. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva called the allegations “absurd and politically motivated.” “Unlike AAP, which banned Chhath Puja on Yamuna ghats for years, we have cleaned and reopened them for the public,” he said.
The BJP accused AAP of spreading falsehoods to divert attention from its failures in the Yamuna cleaning mission.
Party leaders stated that the ghats were refurbished through genuine clean-up drives and said PM Modi’s participation was meant to inspire environmental awareness — not political optics.“Modiji doesn’t need fake setups — AAP needs fake narratives,” said a senior BJP spokesperson.
The Environmental Reality- Yamuna Still Chokes on Pollution
Despite political denials, data from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) shows the Yamuna remains severely polluted with high ammonia and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels. AAP argued that the filtered pond built for the Prime Minister contrasts sharply with the foamy, chemical-laden river where devotees perform rituals.
Environmental activists have supported calls for transparency, warning that such setups can mislead the public about true river health. “Creating temporary pools of filtered water hides the real crisis — it’s optics over ecology,” said river conservationist Manoj Misra.
Bihar Vote Bank Politics and the Timing of the Row
The controversy over the artificial Yamuna for PM Modi, as alleged by the AAP, comes just months before the Bihar Assembly elections 2025. Both AAP and BJP are eyeing the Purvanchali vote bank in Delhi — a community with deep roots in Bihar and eastern UP that celebrates Chhath Puja with strong emotion and faith.
AAP claims the BJP’s “fake Yamuna” was created purely to woo Bihar-origin voters, using Modi’s symbolic dip for political optics. “This isn’t about devotion; it’s about deception,” said AAP’s Atishi Marlena. The BJP rejected the charge, saying the arrangements were made for security and sanitation, not politics. Analysts believe the row shows how religious festivals are turning into political battlegrounds, with visuals and timing carefully crafted to influence public perception.
BJP’s Defense- “We’re Cleaning, Not Pretending”
The BJP maintains that it has invested over ₹6,500 crore in Yamuna rejuvenation projects under the “Namami Gange” initiative. Party officials stated that measurable improvements have been recorded in oxygen and pH levels, emphasizing that the arrangements for PM Modi’s Chhath Puja event were only part of standard security and safety protocols, not a political setup. The BJP insists that its aim is to restore the Yamuna’s sanctity, not stage illusions for cameras. “Our goal is to make Yamuna worshipable again — not to create illusions,” the party’s statement read, rejecting AAP’s allegations as baseless and politically driven.
Public Anger and the Battle of Optics
Public reaction to the artificial Yamuna for PM Modi controversy has been intense and polarizing. Social media erupted with hashtags like #FakeYamuna, #ModiPhotoshoot, and #ChhathPolitics, as users demanded proof of whether filtered water was actually used for the Prime Minister’s dip.
Many called for transparency and urged the government to release independent water quality reports from Vasudev Ghat and the real Yamuna banks. Environmental groups and opposition parties have also sought an on-site inspection by pollution experts and journalists before the Chhath Puja event.
As Delhi braces for the festival, the dispute has evolved beyond faith — it now symbolizes the growing tension between optics and accountability, where religion, environment, and politics collide in a battle for perception.
