Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Harsh Malhotra on Sunday, 18 October participated in a cleanliness drive at a Yamuna ghat in New Delhi, publicly attacking the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for allegedly failing to draw up any concrete plan to clean the river during its decade-long tenure. The drive was part of a mega city-wide initiative spanning 70 locations across Delhi.

What Malhotra Said

Addressing reporters at the ghat, Malhotra said the current BJP government in Delhi — led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta — had formulated a plan to clean the 33-km stretch of the Yamuna River that flows through the national capital. He contrasted this with what he described as a pattern of political promises under former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

'After the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in Delhi, the government under Rekha Ji made a plan to clean the 33 kilometres of the Yamuna River that flows through Delhi. The previous government, led by Kejriwal, only played politics with the Yamuna, misleading people into believing that they would clean it,' Malhotra said.

He further alleged that Kejriwal had apologised to voters after failing to clean the river in his first term and then repeated the same promise for a second term without ever developing an action plan.

The ₹2,900 Crore Allegation

Malhotra also raised questions about the utilisation of central funds, alleging that nearly ₹2,900 crore provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government at the Centre to the previous AAP administration had 'no action plan attached to it.' The allegation — unverified independently — implies that the funds were disbursed without a framework for accountability, though the AAP has not yet responded publicly to this specific claim.

This comes amid a broader BJP drive to distinguish the current administration's governance record from that of the AAP, particularly on Yamuna pollution, which has been a defining electoral flashpoint in Delhi politics for years.

The City-Wide Cleanliness Drive

The cleanliness initiative on Sunday was organised at 70 locations across Delhi from 7:30 am. The Chief Minister's Office had, on Saturday, posted an appeal on X urging residents to join the campaign at their nearest Yamuna ghat. 'The cleanliness of Mother Yamuna is our shared responsibility. Let us join the mega cleanliness drive being organised at 70 locations in Delhi on October 18 at 7.30 a.m. Reach your nearest Yamuna ghat and contribute to this public resolve,' the CMO's message read.

Notably, on Saturday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Malhotra jointly launched more than 500 vehicles for door-to-door waste collection and 250 battery-operated litter-picker machines for Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) wards at an event in Sarita Vihar. Gupta said the Delhi government was committed to providing the civic body with all required resources to improve sanitation services across the city.

Political Context and What Comes Next

Yamuna pollution has persisted as one of Delhi's most politically charged civic issues. Despite repeated cleanup pledges by successive administrations and crores of rupees in central allocations, the river's condition — particularly during peak festive periods — continues to draw public criticism. Malhotra claimed that 'development, in its true sense' had begun in the national capital only after Gupta assumed office following the BJP's victory in the Delhi Assembly elections.

The BJP government's stated push to clean the Yamuna and upgrade waste management infrastructure will now be watched closely for on-ground results — the same benchmark by which it is holding its predecessor accountable.