New Delhi [India], November 15 (ANI): Delhi Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra on Sunday accused the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, led by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, of restricting Chhath Puja celebrations along the Yamuna, claiming that the festival was now being celebrated on a grand scale at more than 1,400 ghats across the national capital.
In a post on X, Mishra highlighted the arrangements made by the present BJP government for the festival and said that devotees were being welcomed to celebrate Chhath Puja without restrictions.
"They (AAP) sat there imposing a ban. We have rolled out the red carpet. Today, grand Chhath Puja celebrations are being held at more than 1,400 ghats in Delhi. CM @gupta_rekha will also offer prayers with hundreds of thousands of devotees in Sonia Vihar," Mishra wrote.
वो बैन लगाकर बैठे थे हम नैन बिछाकर बैठे हैं आज दिल्ली में 1400 से ज्यादा घाटों पर भव्य छठ पूजा का आयोजन है CM @gupta_rekha जी भी सोनिया विहार में लाखों श्रद्धालुओं के साथ अर्घ्य अर्पित करेंगी केजरीवाल ने सालों तक यमुना में छठ पूजा पर बैन लगाकर रखा था आज दिल्ली सरकार पलकें बिछाकर श्रद्धालुओं का स्वागत कर रहीं हैं
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) November 15, 2026
Targeting Kejriwal, the Delhi Minister further alleged that the previous government had prohibited Chhath Puja celebrations along the Yamuna for several years.
"Kejriwal had kept Chhath Puja banned in the Yamuna for years. Today, the Delhi government is welcoming devotees with open arms," he added.
Earlier, on Thursday, Mishra had credited the BJP government with expanding the scale of Chhath Puja celebrations in the national capital, contrasting the arrangements made by the present administration with the policies of the previous AAP government.
He alleged that the government led by Kejriwal had restricted Chhath Puja celebrations near the Yamuna River and imposed restrictions on Diwali celebrations.
"Kejriwal's government had imposed a ban on Chhath Puja on the banks of Mother Yamuna and a ban on Diwali. Since the BJP government came to power, a grand Chhath Puja was organised last year under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and an even bigger event is being organised this year," Mishra told reporters.
Meanwhile, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday levelled allegations against the AAP, claiming that dead fish were being dumped into the Yamuna ahead of Chhath Puja to create a negative impression about the river and the Delhi government.
"No one could have imagined that politics could sink this low—what Mr Kejriwal and his associates have done. There can be no greater sin than this...Chhath Puja is set to take place here—worship of Chhath Maiya—where women observing the fast will arrive to offer arghya (ritual offerings), and into this very water, they are dumping these fish...Dead fish—what could be a greater sin than this? said Sirsa.
In a self-made video, Sirsa alleged that Arvind Kejriwal and his associates are distressed by the start of the 'Namo Yamuna River Safari' cruise service, claiming that Kejriwal and his associates are allegedly hiring people to bring dead fish from the market and film videos.
"The BJP, under the leadership of Rekha Gupta, achieved a milestone by cleaning 60 per cent of the Yamuna. Now that a cruise service is operating on the river, they [Kejriwal and his associates] are so distressed that they are having people from across Delhi go there, bring dead fish from the market, and film videos with them," said Sirsa.
"I want to tell the people of Delhi: Have you ever seen white fish in the Yamuna? Where have these dead fish come from? When there were no live white fish in the Yamuna, where did the dead ones come from? The Aam Aadmi Party can sink to such lows for just one sole purpose—because blemishes are appearing on their 10-year incompetent government," added Sirsa.
Sirsa's remarks came after officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department claimed that unknown people are allegedly dumping dead fish into the Yamuna River ahead of the Chhath festival, with the sole objective of "tarnishing" the image of the Delhi government.
Chhath Puja, a four-day Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, Surya, and Chhathi Maiya, began on November 13 this year with Nahay Khay, the first ritual of the festival. During the ritual, devotees take a holy bath and prepare a traditional meal comprising Arwa rice, chana dal and lauki (bottle gourd), marking the auspicious beginning of the celebrations.
The second day, known as Kharna, was observed on November 14, when devotees observed a fast from sunrise to sunset and broke it after offering prayers and preparing traditional prasad, usually comprising jaggery-based kheer and roti. Following this, devotees undertake a rigorous fast lasting approximately 36 hours without food or water.
On November 15, the third day of the festival, devotees gather at riverbanks and other water bodies to perform Sandhya Arghya, offering prayers to the setting Sun. The celebrations will conclude on November 16 with Usha Arghya, when devotees offer prayers to the rising Sun at dawn, followed by Parana, marking the conclusion of the fast.
The festival symbolises purity, devotion and gratitude, with devotees seeking the blessings of the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya for the health, prosperity and well-being of their families. (ANI)
