BJP MP Manoj Tiwari Dips into Yamuna, Claims Clean Water Ahead of Chhath

BJP Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari, representing North East Delhi, swam in the Yamuna at Sonia Vihar on Thursday, saying the river had been cleaned under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s leadership. Tiwari described himself as "overjoyed" that he could enter the river and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state government for providing a clean Yamuna for Delhi residents.

Tiwari’s statement was intended as a message of cleanliness rather than a critique of Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He noted that while crocodiles might be present, they would be in clean water.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) responded by saying its workers had visited the same stretch of the river and found the water black and heavily polluted. AAP workers claimed Tiwari’s dip occurred during a cleaning drive and that his assertion of drinking the river water was "completely false." They accused him of staging theatrics as Chhath Puja approached.

According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) report for September 2026, monsoon rains did not improve the Yamuna’s water quality. While the stretch between Palla and Wazirabad barrage—where Tiwari swam—remained within acceptable standards, downstream sections after the Najafgarh drain were heavily polluted.

Key water quality figures:

• Palla: BOD 2 mg/l, dissolved oxygen 6.5 mg/l, fecal coliform 1,100 MPN/100 ml (within limits).
• Wazirabad (ISBT Bridge): BOD 30 mg/l, COD 92 mg/l, fecal coliform 35,000 MPN/100 ml (exceeding limits).
• ITO Bridge: BOD 18 mg/l, COD 60 mg/l, fecal coliform 17,000 MPN/100 ml.

The DPCC specifies bathing standards of BOD ≤3 mg/l, dissolved oxygen ≥5 mg/l, and fecal coliform ≤500 MPN/100 ml. The stretch between Palla and Wazirabad receives a flush of fresh water from Hathini Kund barrage during festivals like Chhath, but pollution remains a concern.

The incident highlights the ongoing political debate over the Yamuna’s cleanliness ahead of Chhath Puja, a time when devotees traditionally enter the river for rituals.