Delhi's air quality plunged into the severe category following Diwali celebrations, triggering a bitter political war of words between the BJP, AAP, and Congress over stubble burning, health hazards, and the urgent need for effective pollution control measures.

Delhi's air quality plunged into the severe category following Diwali celebrations, triggering a bitter political war of words between the BJP, AAP, and Congress over stubble burning, health hazards, and the urgent need for effective pollution control measures.

Delhi's air quality plunged into the severe category following Diwali celebrations, triggering a bitter political war of words between the BJP, AAP, and Congress over stubble burning, health hazards, and the urgent need for effective pollution control measures.

The sharp deterioration in Delhi’s air quality following Diwali celebrations has triggered a political blame game, with the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trading accusations over the worsening pollution crisis.

BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal alleged that the AAP had orchestrated a “well-thought-out conspiracy” to keep pollution levels in the national capital high during Diwali by encouraging stubble burning in Punjab, where the party is in power.

“This is a well-thought-out conspiracy. Aam Aadmi Party has a government in Punjab, and the people of Punjab are crying for help. Punjab decided to burn stubble vigorously so that Delhi remains polluted on Diwali and they can blame us for it,” Khandelwal was quoted as saying by ANI.

He claimed that people in both Punjab and Delhi were aware of the alleged conspiracy.

Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra also raised similar allegations, saying Punjab reported 1,200 stubble-burning incidents on Sunday.

"A targeted campaign has been launched to defame Diwali and Sanatan. I want to urge Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to investigate the 1,200 fires that broke out yesterday evening and file FIRs," he told ANI.

Mishra said that on November 7 stubble burning was recorded at 125 locations, which increased to 1200 on November 8. He demanded that the phone recordings of the AAP members from Delhi who are in Punjab be checked to see how they began this “campaign” two days ago.

"As per the satellite data on stubble burning on 5th, 6th and 7th November, on 7th Nov, there was stubble burning at 125 locations. But as per the data last evening, there was stubble burning at 1200 locations - on the day of Diwali... How did it increase 10 times? This is a really serious matter. This is a conspiracy against farmers, against Diwali, against Delhi, against Punjab," he said.

Khandelwal, meanwhile, targeted both Congress and the AAP, and blamed their prolonged tenures in Delhi for the capital’s persistent pollution problem. He pointed out that Congress leader Sheila Dikshit served as chief minister for 15 years, followed by AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal’s decade-long tenure.

“Today's pollution is their gift because when measures should have been taken to prevent pollution, neither the Congress nor the Aam Aadmi Party government took a single step,” he said.

The BJP MP maintained that several measures had been initiated since his party came to power in Delhi, adding that it would take time for these interventions to yield results.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated sharply on Monday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 400 at several locations. A thick blanket of smog engulfed the city, reducing visibility and raising serious public health concerns.

Despite restrictions on firecracker use, several parts of the capital witnessed fireworks on Sunday evening. On Sunday, air quality at 20 monitoring stations had already slipped into the ‘severe’ category, while Delhi’s overall AQI stood at 371 at 10 pm.

Former Delhi Mayor and AAP leader Shelly Oberoi criticised the BJP-led government over the worsening situation, demanding concrete action rather than political rhetoric.

“The AQI has reached dangerous levels, and with every breath, the threat to people's health grows. How much longer will Delhi's people be forced to breathe this toxic air? The BJP government must answer. We need concrete action on pollution, not just rhetoric,” Oberoi wrote on X.

The Congress also attacked the Modi government, accusing it of being in denial about the impact of air pollution on mortality in India. The party called for stricter PM2.5 and ozone standards and a comprehensive overhaul of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

Citing a FICCI-EY report, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that approximately two million deaths, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of all deaths in India in 2023, were attributable to air pollution.

“Now comes a detailed FICCI-EY report that says categorically that around 2 million deaths (about 22% of total) were attributable to air pollution in India in 2023. This is yet another wakeup call for the somnolent Modi Government,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

He stressed the need for a phased national action plan, including bringing existing PM2.5 and ozone standards in line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

“The agenda for reform has been clear for some time and the FICCI report presents an essential and clearly phased ten-year roadmap for national action. Execution has to begin now by tightening existing PM2.5 and ozone standards to WHO recommended safety levels,” he added.

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