BJP Government a Calamity for Delhiites, Cannot Hide Failure Over Waterlogging – Saurabh Bharadwaj

• The death of six people due to a roof collapse at Dargah Sharif Patte Shah complex caused by water accumulation during rains is extremely tragic – Saurabh Bharadwaj
• On Thursday, due to rain, a biker died when a tree fell on him and two children died when a DDA wall collapsed – Saurabh Bharadwaj
• Despite all claims of desilting, Delhi is still drowning, and about two dozen people have lost their lives so far – Saurabh Bharadwaj
• Due to rain, trees and poles are falling in various places; instead of making big statements, the government must get on the ground – Saurabh Bharadwaj
• People elected the BJP to work; they cannot shirk responsibility by pointing fingers at others – Saurabh Bharadwaj

New Delhi, Aug 2025 –The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has hit back at the BJP over the repeated incidents of waterlogging and loss of lives in Delhi due to rains. Delhi State Convenor Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the BJP government has become a calamity for Delhi residents. It cannot cover up its failure to prevent waterlogging by blaming others.

On Friday, six people tragically died when the roof of the Dargah Sharif Patte Shah complex collapsed due to water accumulation during rains. On Thursday, a biker died after a tree fell on him and two children died after a DDA wall collapsed due to rain. Despite all claims of desilting, Delhi continues to drown, and about two dozen people have died so far. Trees and poles are falling in various places due to rain. Bharadwaj said that instead of making grand speeches, the government must work on the ground. Delhiites elected the BJP to work, not to shirk responsibility by pointing fingers at others.

At the site of the collapse in the Nizamuddin area, Bharadwaj said that the Dargah Sharif Patte Shah was an old, beautiful structure within the Dargah complex. Around 4:00 pm, rain caused water to accumulate on or near the roof, leading to the collapse. Six people died and several others were injured. The injured were taken to hospitals, with some admitted to AIIMS and one person at RML Hospital.

Bharadwaj said AAP councillor Sarika Chaudhary had informed him of the incident. He noted that for nearly three months, heavy rains in Delhi have been causing trees, walls, roofs, and electricity poles to fall, killing nearly 30 people. He urged the administration to improve its work.

On the DM’s statement blaming encroachment, Bharadwaj said that the DM is trying to shift blame. “If you question the DM, they’ll say, ‘Why are you asking me? I’ll file a case against you first,’ just to intimidate the public. These scare tactics are old now,” he remarked.

He added that wherever there is an ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) monument, there is a parliamentary law that even prevents people from repairing nearby structures without ASI interference, often with demands for money. This discourages repairs. It’s not just here – in Panchsheel, Chirag Delhi, Shahpur Jat, and elsewhere, ASI interference stops people from maintaining their properties. This system needs reform.

Bharadwaj said the AAP can only request the government to act, but ministers and the CM must get on the ground. Nizamuddin Dargah is world-famous, and Humayun’s Tomb is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yet the road between them has been flooded with knee-deep sewage water for 15 days. “What will visitors from around the world think of Delhi when they see this?” he asked.

Earlier, Bharadwaj questioned Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, asking if the tree that fell and killed a man in Kalkaji was brought down by Arvind Kejriwal, or if the BJP’s decision to raise school fees by 50–80% was Kejriwal’s doing. “Since the BJP came to power, power cuts have increased – is that Kejriwal’s fault too?” he asked sarcastically.

He said that despite the BJP’s grand claims of desilting, Delhi is submerged. Over two dozen people have died from rain-related disasters this year alone, including incidents where seven people died in a single wall collapse. “Will the BJP also blame Kejriwal for this?” Bharadwaj asked, adding that Gupta’s government must actually work instead of just talking.

He accused the BJP’s “four-engine” government of lacking any interest in governance, saying they use the same worn-out excuse to blame Kejriwal for everything, just as the BJP-led central government blames Nehru for all problems. “The BJP must stop running from accountability – Delhi’s people elected them to work, not to point fingers,” he said.

‘No Cars, Only Boats in Delhi’ – Jarnail Singh

Meanwhile, Tilak Nagar AAP MLA Jarnail Singh posted a video on X of himself boating in waterlogged streets on Friday. He joked that those planning rafting trips to Rishikesh could cancel them because the Rekha Gupta government had made “first-class rafting” available in every street, neighbourhood, and colony in Delhi. “All you need is a small boat costing a few thousand rupees. Rishikesh costs money, but this is free. The government can’t stop waterlogging, so enjoy it every time it rains. You’ll just have to endure this rusty four-engine government for another four and a half years,” Singh said.

He added that this “facility” was available everywhere in Delhi, completely tax-free. “No cars now, only boats! Enjoy free river rafting in Delhi – the four-engine government has completely failed to stop waterlogging,” Singh said in his post.