Fact Check: Yamuna cleaning not taken up by newly-elected BJP govt. but by an NGO, video is from 2024
On checking the Instagram account of Earth Warrior, we found that the viral video was posted on their account on December 29, 2024. This confirmed that the video is indeed from 2024, which is before the BJP was elected to power in New Delhi
Claim: Video shows Yamuna cleaning drive started by newly-elected Delhi BJP govt, under CM Rekha Gupta
Fact: The claim is false. The video shows a cleaning drive by an NGO Earth Warrior in 2024, without any political affiliation
Pollution of River Yamuna turned a major political plank during the Delhi Assembly polls in 2025. The previous AAP government faced severe criticism for failing to address the issue despite making a promise to clean the river. Sensing the resentment over the issue, the BJP too accused the AAP government of neglecting the river. There are reports stating that the clean-up of River Yamuna has started after the BJP was voted to power in Delhi.
Meanwhile, a video is in circulation on social media showing men and women cleaning a water body along the banks, with a text reading: "Yamuna Cleaning Drive".
The video is being shared with the claim that the newly-elected BJP government in New Delhi has already begun efforts to clean the river.
A X user shared the video expressing gratitude to PM Modi and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta captioning it: "Yamuna Maiya's cleaning. Thank you, Modi ji. Thank you, Rekha Gupta ji."
Fact Check
The claim is false. The video is from 2024 and the team cleaning the river said they are not politically affiliated to any party.
The video was first posted by an X user, Yati Sharma, making the claim. Another X handle, Earth Warrior, commented on Sharma's post, stating that the video features their team and was recorded n 2024. The handle also clarified that they are not affiliated to any political party and have been conducting the cleaning drives at Delhi's Kalindi Kunj ghat for last five years.
Another X user, Bhavreen Kandhari, also commented on Sharma's post, stating the credit had been falsely attributed. She clarified that the video shows a routine cleaning drive conducted by the Earth Warrior team.
On checking the Instagram account of Earth Warrior, we found that the viral video was posted on their account on December 29, 2024. This confirmed that the video is indeed from 2024, which is before the BJP was elected to power in New Delhi.
On reviewing the account, we found several posts related to Yamuna cleaning drives. The account also features videos of popular environmentalist Pankaj Kumar speaking to the media, stating that the Earth Warrior isa volunteer group and that he is one of its volunteers.
A report by ETV Bharat mentioned that Pankaj Kumar, known as Delhi's Oxygen Man, is deeply committed to environmental conservation. Recently, he led Earth Warrior volunteer group in a cleanup drive at Kalindi Kunj Ghat, a busy stretch along the Yamuna river.
A former IAS aspirant, Kumar quit his job in 2022 to completely dedicate himself to conservation of the environment.
We could not find any mention of Pankaj Kumar speaking on behalf of a particular party or crediting his team's effort to any government body.
Therefore, we conclude that the viral video depicts a Yamuna cleaning drive conducted by Pankaj Kumar's Earth Warrior volunteer group in 2024, not by AAP or BJP.
The claim is false.
This post has been posted by NewsMeter and drawn by Deccan Chronicle, as part of Shakti Collective
