‘We Rolled Out Red Carpet’: Kapil Mishra Targets Kejriwal Over Chhath Puja, Yamuna Row Intensifies

November 15, 2026

New Delhi: Delhi Minister and BJP leader Kapil Mishra on Sunday slammed the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and claimed that he was not able to celebrate Chhath Puja on the banks of Yamuna, however the festival is being celebrated grandly in Delhi on more than 1,400 ghats.

Mishra said that devotees are being given a warm welcome by the BJP-led government headed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. He also criticised former Chief Minister Kejriwal for not allowing Chhath celebrations on the banks of Yamuna.

In a post on X, Mishra said, “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 on X.

Targeting the former Delhi Chief Minister, he added, “Kejriwal had kept Chhath Puja banned in the Yamuna for years. Today, the Delhi government is welcoming devotees with open arms.”

Kapil Mishra Accuses Previous AAP Govt Of Banning Chhath Celebrations

Mishra had said on Thursday that the BJP government had increased the scale of Chhath Puja celebrations in Delhi. He highlighted the difference between the current administration and the previous AAP government.

“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.

However, in 2021, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) banned Chhath celebrations on the banks of Yamuna. AAP leaders had said at the time that this had not been done by Kejriwal but by the DMDA under the Lieutenant Governor. There were restrictions on this due to pollution issues.

In October 2022 Kejriwal had approved a proposal that permitted Chhath Puja celebrations to be held on Yamuna ghats as long as there were no polluting activities. Hence, this was a decision taken by the appropriate authorities each year.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa Accuses AAP Of Dumping Dead Fish Into Yamuna

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday accused Arvind Kejriwal and his aides of allegedly organising dumping of dead fish into the Yamuna ahead of Chhath Puja in order to create a bad impression on the river and the government.

In a video message he said that this was an attempt to tarnish the government’s work on cleaning up the river and starting the Namo Yamuna River Safari cruise service.

“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?” Sirsa said.

Sirsa claimed that the BJP government under Rekha Gupta had done a milestone by cleaning 60 percent of the Yamuna. However, this had angered Kejriwal and his aides as they had started asking people to bring dead fish from the market.

Sirsa also questioned why there were dead fish in the river and had claimed that this was an attempt to undo the work of the BJP government.

These allegations against Kejriwal and AAP leaders have not been proven. The AAP denied any accusations and questioned the government’s claims. It has not been confirmed what caused the fish to die.

FIR Registered By Police For Finding Dead Fish In Yamuna

The controversy began after videos of large numbers of dead fish floating in the Yamuna near Sonia Vihar were shared online.

Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department officials had accused unidentified people of deliberately dumping dead fish into the Yamuna in order to damage the reputation of the Delhi government. They had also expressed their concern regarding social media posts claiming that chemicals were being sprayed into the river.

An FIR was registered on November 15 by Delhi Police against unidentified persons at Wazirabad police station after a complaint was made by the department. The police said that the cause of death of the fish had not been determined and further investigations were being carried out.

This has caused a political row between the BJP and AAP with the BJP accusing them of deliberately dumping dead fish into the river.

Chhath Puja 2026: Sandhya Arghya On November 15, Usha Arghya On November 16

Chhath Puja, a four-day Hindu festival celebrating the Sun God Surya and Chhathi Maiya, began on November 13 with the first ritual, Nahay Khay.

Devotees take a sacred dip and eat a traditional meal consisting of Arwa rice, chana dal and lauki (bottle gourd).

The second day, Kharna, was celebrated on November 14. Devotees fast between sunrise and sunset. They break their fast after offering prayers and making traditional prasad, usually consisting of kheer made with jaggery and roti. After Kharna they must fast strictly for around 36 hours with no food or water.

Sandhya Arghya is offered to the setting sun on the third day, November 15, as devotees gather along the banks of rivers and other bodies of water.

The last day of the celebrations will be on November 16 with Usha Arghya. This sees devotees offer prayers to the rising sun at dawn. This completes their fast with Parana.

The festival represents a time of purity, devotion and thanks. Devotees ask for blessings from the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya for the health, prosperity and wellbeing of their families.