Chhath: BJP, Congress leaders visit ghats

New Delhi: Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari and other political leaders of various parties visited Chhath puja ghats, including Sonia Vihar, in the city and greeted people. 

Mr Tiwari also sang some folk songs on the occasion. He said that he wished the Chhath festival and sun god provide employment, good health, knowledge and education to the people.

Chhath is not a religious, but an environment-friendly festival, he said.  He later visited Chhat ghats of New Azad Nagar, Zamrudpur, Chhatarpur, Rithala. 

BJP leader Shayam Jaju said that Poorvanchalis play an important role in the development of the region wherever they reside. 

Similarly, the Delhi Congress leaders also visited various ghats to greet the people. Delhi Congress Pradesh Committee chief Ajay Maken visited the ghjats at Prem Nagar, ITO, Narela and Wazirabad. 

Blaming the Aam Aadmi Party government and the BJP-ruled civic bodies, Mr Maken said that they delayed making preparations for the Chhath puja and played with the sentiments of the people. 

The Congress Delhi leader said as a result, the people were forced to perform the Chhat Puja standing in dirty waters of the Yamuna. 

Mr Maken said during the former Congress regime in Delhi, preparations for the Chhath festival used to begin three months ahead of the festival by making arrangements at the various Yamuna ghats. 

The Congress leader further said that the former Congress government made it a point to inform the Haryana government months ahead in order to release fresh water into the Yamuna so that the Purvanchalis could perform Chhath Puja in clean water.