As the national capital witnessed severest of toxic air the morning after Diwali despite curbs in place, Delhi government faced double edged criticism, with a harsh snub from its arch rival at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as well as Congress, slamming it for "failure" to stop pollution in the city.
However,, in its prompt response BJP blamed people for bursting crackers and cited stubble burning from nearby states for the thick blanket of smog hovering over the national capital today.AAP MLA Gopal Rai accused the Delhi government of "making excuses" and not taking action to prevent the pollution. "There is a lot of pollution in Delhi. The level of pollution has increased. But the Delhi government is not doing anything. They are making excuses and blaming other states. BJP is in power everywhere in UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Why didn't they talk to any other state first before Diwali?" he said.
He also accused BJP leaders of pushing people to burst firecrackers despite the air emergency in the capital.AAP state chief Saurabh Bharadwaj mocked Rekha Gupta over the rising pollution, claiming she does not know how to "pronounce AQI". "We don't know what the government has done. The Chief Minister does not even know how to pronounce AQI. She calls it IQ, QQ. She can't even say AQI. She has no understanding. The government has failed to stop pollution," he said.
Bharadwaj also accused the BJP government of "lying" as they had not conducted artificial rain yet."The government lies. The government said that after Diwali, they would fix all the pollution by conducting artificial rain. Did it happen? No, my question is that if you could have conducted artificial rain, then why didn't you do it? Do you want people to fall ill?" he asked.
Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed, in a post on X, slammed the BJP-led Delhi government of "failing to implement" court orders."AQI has crossed 400 in most parts of Delhi, the air is choking, and people can't even step outside. @narendramodi has been the Prime Minister for 11 years, and now the BJP also has a CM in Delhi who went to court to allow firecrackers. CM @gupta_rekha and Delhi Police then failed to implement the court order, and crackers were burst till midnight. This toxic air is endangering children and the elderly. BJP government has completely failed Delhi and its people," she said.
Apart from no control over fire crackers, BJP government also blamed stubble burning in other states for the pollution.
"Delhi bearing the brunt of pollution from neighbouring states, stubble being burnt despite the Supreme Court's stricture," Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. BJP IT Cell Head, Amit Malviya, said Delhi will continue to choke unless "Punjab stops burning stubble".
"Stop blaming Deepawali for the sins of the Aam Aadmi Party — it's their smoke, not the festival's lamps or firecrackers, that darkens Delhi's skies. Their dark shadow still looms large over the Capital," he said.Another minister, Ashish Sood, blamed the citizens for bursting crackers post the deadline.
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