Delhi faces a severe water crisis, and protests and social media are abuzz. In a cruel irony, the Delhi Police used water cannons to disperse BJP workers protesting the water shortage. The protest was led by BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri outside the Delhi Jal Board office in Okhla, where the water scarcity is acute and the summer is intense.
Protest and irony
The police using water cannons on protesters protesting water shortage got instant backlash and ridicule on social media. Netizens took to social media to express their shock and irony. On X (formerly Twitter), users pointed out the paradox of using water to break up a protest demanding more water.
One user commented, “Delhi police is using water cannons on people who are protesting against the water shortage in Delhi,” which summed up the mood of many.
Another suggested the water used in the cannons could have been better used: “Instead, the water tank could have been given to the protesters. They would have thanked the police for the water.”
Political and social media reactions
The incident has opened up a more significant political debate. A user on X asked about the jurisdiction and control of the Delhi Police, hinting at the political power play: “Btw Delhi Police comes under whose control? Once you get the answer, you know who is not letting Delhi people get adequate water supply.”
Another user was shocked: “Delhi Police is using water cannons on BJP protesters during a water crisis? Hadd Hai!”
The discussion moved to Reddit, where users broke it down further. One Redditor said, “AAP is on hunger strike as to why Haryana/BJP is not giving enough water to Delhi. BJP workers are protesting against AAP for not giving water. So if BJP workers cared for the people of Delhi, they should support AAP.”
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Another user pointed out the complexity of the water crisis: “Addressing the water crisis is a far more systemic challenge than emptying 2 trucks of water that could maybe sustain that crowd for a couple of days’ needs, not to mention countless who have the same issue not present there. That is not how you supply reliable, clean water to entire parched parts of the city.”
Root cause
The water crisis in Delhi is due to a mix of environmental and technical reasons. Yamuna water levels are low, and technical issues in water treatment plants have disrupted the supply. Several areas have no water, leaving residents with water tankers and borewells.
Delhi government accuses Haryana of not releasing Delhi’s water. According to Delhi water minister Atishi, Haryana is releasing 100 million gallons less water than required, affecting 2.8 million people in Delhi.
Political standoff and hunger strike
In response to the crisis, Atishi is on an indefinite fast to force the Haryana government to release the water. She said, “This is the second day of my fast. There is a water crisis in Delhi. Delhi gets water from its neighbouring states. Delhi gets 1005 MGD of water supplied to the houses in Delhi. Of this, 613 MGD of water comes from Haryana, but for several weeks, Haryana has released only 513 MGD. Due to this, 28 lakh people in Delhi do not have water. I tried everything, but when the Haryana government didn’t agree to supply water, I had no option but to sit on a fast.”
Atishi’s video message on X said: “I got the numbers from Delhi Jal Board this morning, but the water crisis persists even today. Yesterday, Haryana supplied 110 MGD less water. I will sit on fast till Haryana supplies water to Delhi, till 28 lakh people of Delhi get water.”
Accusations and counterclaims
BJP has countered these allegations, saying the AAP government is mismanaging. BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said, “AAP has been in power in Delhi for the last 10 years. They have Delhi Jal Board, MCD. They have all the important departments. So, are they protesting against their own government? The reality is that their own ally, the Congress Party, is now admitting that Haryana is sending more water. It is sending more than it has committed to send. The Supreme Court has also acknowledged this.”
The Delhi water crisis has exposed the underlying problems of water management and inter-state water politics. Water cannons on protesters have added to the irony and the political and social media discourse. While AAP and BJP are trading charges, Delhiites are suffering from the water crisis and hoping for a quick and permanent solution.
