The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday turned tense during Question Hour after a fiery verbal clash between Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh and Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Mohammad Fahim Irfan over the implementation of the Centre’s flagship Jal Jeevan Mission.
The confrontation began when Irfan alleged large-scale irregularities in the scheme’s rollout, claiming that several villages still lacked tap water connections despite official claims of progress. He said many overhead tanks were in disrepair, with some even collapsing, and accused the government of misleading the public about its achievements.
Responding sharply, Singh challenged the SP legislator to “swear on your wife” if no work had been done, insisting that water was reaching households as planned. His remark drew immediate reactions in the House.
UP MLA Asks Minister To Personally Visit Villages
Standing his ground, Irfan maintained that numerous districts, particularly in western UP, had yet to see functional water supply systems. He urged the minister to personally visit villages and speak with local heads to verify the situation, adding, “Pick any district in western Uttar Pradesh; you will find no water supply. If this is untrue, I will resign.”
The exchange underscored the broader political tension between the ruling BJP and the SP over rural infrastructure delivery.
The Jal Jeevan Mission, launched in 2019, aims to provide tap water connections to every rural household by 2024. While the UP government claims substantial progress, opposition parties have repeatedly accused it of inflating figures and ignoring ground realities, a debate that spilt into open confrontation on the Assembly floor.