New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday extended her greetings to people for Chhath Puja, calling it a festival that spreads the message of unity, purity, and devotion. She also joined devotees during the Kharna Puja. “Chhath is not merely a religious ritual but a radiant symbol of Indian culture that conveys a message of harmony, cleanliness and faith. It reflects discipline, sincerity, and collective goodwill,” Gupta said.Water minister Parvesh Verma inspected Chhath ghats across Delhi, reviewing lighting, hygiene and safety measures. “Delhi govt is committed to ensuring every devotee gets a clean, safe and well-managed environment,” he said.Verma visited several ghats, including Matiala, Najafgarh, Vikaspuri, and Vasudev Ghat. He directed officials to maintain round-the-clock coordination. Some senior BJP functionaries also participated in the puja, like Gupta. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva participated in the Kharna Puja organised by the party’s Purvanchal Morcha. “Chhath Mahaparv teaches us the importance of nature and river worship,” he said later, expressing hope that the festival would soon become a national celebration like Ganesh Utsav.However, the festivities quickly got tarred by the political slugfest. Aam Aadmi Party functionaries, led by Arvind Kejriwal, accused BJP of creating a “fake Yamuna ghat” with filtered water exclusively for Prime Minister Modi’s Chhath celebrations. “BJP has made a mockery of the sacred Chhath festival,” Kejriwal said. The party’s Delhi chief, Saurabh Bharadwaj, attacked BJP, saying the party had changed its stance after coming to power. “After Covid-19, CM Arvind Kejriwal had sought permission for Chhath Puja, but the LG denied it. The same BJP that stopped the festival for three years is now staging political drama ahead of elections,” he said.Sachdeva dismissed AAP’s claims as “baseless political drama”, aimed at diverting attention from its failures in governance. He said BJP govt had made unprecedented arrangements for Chhath Puja, with clean ghats, lighting, and safety measures for devotees, he said. Sachdeva said that BJP respects the sentiments of the Purvanchal community. He accused AAP of spreading misinformation for political mileage. “The people of Delhi know which party truly works for their faith and culture. Instead of spreading lies, the AAP should recall how it neglected Chhath celebrations for years,” he said.