Malaria cases in Delhi have broken 10-year record: Saurabh Bharadwaj

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has lambasted the BJP government for its catastrophic failure in tackling the capital’s public health and infrastructure crises. Delhi has witnessed a record-breaking surge in malaria cases, the highest in the last 10 years, a development senior AAP leader and Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said is the direct consequence of massive, unchecked waterlogging across the city.

“Despite daily evidence of flooded streets, BJP ministers continue to lie to the public, claiming there’s no waterlogging. The spike in malaria proves the truth, the city is drowning, literally and administratively,” said the AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj. Demanding urgent action, AAP has called on the BJP-led administration to immediately respond to the malaria crisis and restore basic coordination and accountability across departments.

AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj, addressing a press conference alongside AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha, stated that when the BJP formed the government in Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and several of her ministers repeatedly claimed there would be no waterlogging this monsoon season, as “all arrangements and preparations had been made.” However, contrary to these assertions, the very first spells of rain resulted in waterlogging across the city.

“What’s laughable is that despite widespread waterlogging, BJP ministers and leaders continue to claim that there is no such problem anywhere,” Saurabh Bharadwaj remarked. Citing examples, he said, “Just two days ago, all of Delhi saw how a short bout of rain led to flooding in Connaught Place, Sadar Bazar, and Janpath. Water even entered shops, major roads were submerged, and nature itself made it clear that the city was flooded.”

Highlighting a more serious fallout, Saurabh Bharadwaj pointed to news reports that malaria cases in Delhi this year have already surpassed all figures from the last 10 years. “Malaria is caused by mosquitoes, and mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. This is living proof that waterlogging is rampant across Delhi,” he asserted.

He affirmed, “Running a government is a deeply sensitive responsibility. The people of Delhi gave BJP another chance to govern after 27 years—despite remembering how the party mismanaged the city from 1993 to 1998 with three chief ministers and utter chaos. Even now, nothing has changed—just hollow speeches, political vendettas, and no work. The basic systems built under the previous government are deteriorating.”

Saurabh Bharadwaj warned that the surge in malaria cases is a matter of grave concern and demanded that the BJP government treat this issue with seriousness and sensitivity.

Present at the press conference, AAP MLA from Burari, Sanjeev Jha, pointed out lapses in CM Rekha Gupta’s claim that waterlogging occurred only for two hours in a few areas. “Let me remind her—mosquitoes don’t breed in just two hours of waterlogging. It takes persistent neglect. The Delhi High Court itself has remarked on the lack of coordination between departments of the BJP-led government,” he said.

“BJP used to boast about double-engine governance. Today, they control all four engines in Delhi—but there’s still no coordination. And it is the people of Delhi who are suffering,” Jha added.

The AAP MLA further said, “Reels won’t solve the problem—you need to work in the real world. The malaria statistics are alarming. The government must act with urgency and compassion.”

Issuing a stern warning, Sanjeev Jha declared that if the BJP government does not take the situation seriously, AAP will raise this issue forcefully in the upcoming Assembly session starting on August 4.