Heavy rains in Delhi on Thursday left several areas waterlogged, reigniting an annual monsoon controvers, and sparking a fresh war of words between the BJP-led Delhi government and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Visuals of inundated streets, collapsed trees, and residents wading through knee-deep water flooded social media, with AAP leaders accusing the government of “absolute lack of preparedness” and the BJP countering with attacks on AAP’s past governance record.
Atishi demands minister’s sacking
Former Delhi chief minister and current Leader of the Opposition, Atishi, wrote to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta demanding the removal of Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma.
Her letter followed a tragic incident in Kalkaji, where a man was killed and his daughter seriously injured after a tree collapse.
“The PWD Minister Parvesh Verma must take moral responsibility and be removed from your Cabinet immediately. Nothing short of this will restore even a shred of public faith,” Atishi wrote, adding that multiple rain-related fatalities this year were “preventable tragedies” caused by poor infrastructure readiness.
‘Four-engine’ government under fire
In multiple posts on X, Atishi shared videos from Chhattarpur, Patparganj, Subroto Park, and Lutyens’ Delhi showing flooded roads and stranded vehicles.
“This is the condition of Chhatarpur. In just a short spell of rain, Delhi's roads turn into ponds. Is this the ‘Proper Management’ of Delhi’s Chief Minister @gupta_rekha and PWD Minister @p_sahibsingh?” she asked.
She also accused the BJP’s 'four-engine government,' referring to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi government, Centre, and Lieutenant Governor, of failing to act on basic monsoon preparedness.
BJP hits back
Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra dismissed the criticism, accusing AAP of hypocrisy.
“Shameless, indeed! You looted and ruined Delhi for 12 years, then ran off to Punjab, and now you're blaming the BJP over a fallen tree? Delhi will definitely change, but the audacity to dance around with your own failure's report card, such shamelessness is only possible in AAP!” Mishra posted on X in Hindi.
‘People rowing boats in the streets’
AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha alleged that over two dozen people have died in rain-related incidents this year.
“The four-engine BJP government in Delhi has completely failed. Rivers are flowing on the roads, and people are rowing boats in the waterlogged streets. BJP leaders and ministers are busy making reels every day, but no real work is being done. The BJP government hasn’t even bothered to clean the drains,” Jha said at a press conference.
In a pointed jab, AAP shared a video of a man rowing a boat in Greater Kailash, sarcastically thanking the chief minister for making it possible in the national capital.
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