Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) city president Harsh Malhotra on Sunday, 14 June led a large-scale cleanliness drive along the Yamuna riverbanks, joining party members, Members of Parliament, ministers, and thousands of Delhi residents across 28 ghats under the Yamuna Swachhta Abhiyan. The campaign, organised to mark 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in office, aimed to galvanise public participation in environmental conservation and reinforce ongoing efforts to rejuvenate the river.

Key Developments at the Drive

Speaker Vijender Gupta led the drive at Chhath Ghat near Purana Loha Pul, where he described a clean Yamuna as 'the foundation of a healthy Capital and a secure future.' He stressed that festivals such as Chhath Puja can realise their true spiritual significance only when devotees can offer prayers on clean ghats with the river flowing in its pristine form.

Harsh Malhotra undertook voluntary service at Yamuna Bank and acknowledged the participation of BJP MPs Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Manoj Tiwari, and Swati Maliwal. He thanked Prime Minister Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for their stated commitment to the river's revival.

Funding and Government Commitments

Malhotra stated that the Centre has allocated ₹3,500 crore for Yamuna cleaning under Prime Minister Modi, while Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's government has committed an additional ₹1,800 crore toward the effort. He contrasted this with what he described as 'lip service' by previous administrations on the question of Yamuna revival — a characterisation that critics of the current dispensation are likely to contest given the river's continued pollution levels.

What Ministers Said

Delhi's Irrigation and Flood Minister Parvesh Verma joined the campaign at Hathi Ghat, ITO, and described the turnout as 'truly inspiring,' noting the presence of children, youth, women, senior citizens, volunteers, and social organisations. 'Yamuna is not just a river, it is an integral part of Delhi's cultural, spiritual and historical identity,' he said, calling its restoration 'a collective responsibility that goes beyond governments and institutions.'

Minister Verma credited Prime Minister Modi's 'Yamuna Sankalp' vision for transforming the campaign into what he termed 'a true people's movement.'

Participation Across Ghats

The drive drew wide official participation. Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman Satish Upadhyay participated at Sarai Kale Khan Ghat; Public Accounts Committee President Ajay Mahawar at Signature Bridge; Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht at 1.5 Pushta, Yamuna Vihar; South Delhi Development Committee Chairperson Shikha Rai at Zero Pushta, Sonia Vihar; and Central Delhi Development Committee Chairman Harish Khurana along with MLA Rajkaran Khatri near Nigambodh Ghat.

What Comes Next

Officials indicated that the Yamuna Swachhta Abhiyan will continue as an ongoing effort rather than a one-day event, with Minister Verma emphasising sustained public-government collaboration. The drive's scale — spanning 28 ghats across the capital — signals that the BJP-led Delhi government intends to keep Yamuna restoration at the centre of its civic agenda. Whether the combined outlay of ₹5,300 crore from the Centre and state translates into measurable improvement in the river's water quality remains the critical question for residents and environmental watchdogs alike.