BJP Alleges Delhi Govt Failed To Control Pollution, Now Blaming Diwali Crackers In ‘True Aurangzebi Style’

The people of Delhi by bursting crackers on Diwali night have given a befitting reply to “Aurangzeb influenced” political thinking of Rai, the Delhi BJP spokesperson commented.

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday hit back at Delhi government over Environment Minister Gopal Rai’s allegation blaming it for the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali despite a ban on it in the national capital.

In its response, BJP has alleged that the Arvind Kejriwal-led government has failed to curb air pollution.

National in-charge of the BJP’s IT department Amit Malviya said Environment Minister Gopal Rai was trying to make Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal “look good”.

“Delhi’s AQI was in hazardous zone even before the crackers came out. Anyone suggesting otherwise is trying to make Arvind Kejriwal look good, who had unleashed a diabolical campaign to dissuade Delhiites from bursting crackers. Poor air quality is a result of anything BUT Diwali,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor alleged that Environment Minister Gopal Rai’s thinking was “influenced” by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, alleging that the Delhi government completely failed to control air pollution.

“The Delhi government has totally failed to control air and water pollution in Delhi and therefore, to evade responsibility minister Gopal Rai has tried to squarely blame Diwali night crackers for air pollution and Chhath Puja at Yamuna Ghats for Yamuna ji’s water pollution in true Aurangzebi style,” he charged, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The people of Delhi by bursting crackers on Diwali night have given a befitting reply to “Aurangzeb influenced” political thinking of Rai, the Delhi BJP spokesperson commented.

Previously, the Delhi government had announced a complete ban on crackers till January 1, 2022, and ran an aggressive campaign against the sale and use of crackers.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday said that the national capital’s air quality had deteriorated because of a surge in stubble burning and some people purposely bursting firecrackers on Diwali despite a ban on it.

“A large number of people did not burst firecrackers. I thank them all. But some people burst firecrackers on purpose. The BJP made them do it,” he told reporters, as quoted by PTI.

“Several people, after giving religious colour into it, intentionally burned the firecrackers. Delhi Government has already made several appeals to the people regarding the pollution condition, but opposition parties just for the sake of politics encouraged people to burn firecrackers, which now resulted in deteriorated conditions”, ANI quoted him as saying.

Talking about the Delhi government’s measures for tackling the situation, the Environment Minister informed that movable and immovable anti-smog machines are being installed in the national capital.

“We are installing several movable and immovable anti-smog machines in Delhi to curb the pollution. 10 big movable anti-smog machines will be on the roads. We are also initiating the process of sprinkling water at places where the pollution is severe,” he said, as reported by ANI.

Delhi’s air quality index (AQI), which entered the ‘severe’ category last night, continued its upward trend and stood at 462 at 12 pm on Friday.

According to the System of Air Quality & Weather Forecasting & Research (SAFAR), Delhi’s overall air quality remained in the ‘severe’ category at 03:07 pm, with overall AQI standing at 531.

SAFAR, the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality forecast agency, had earlier informed that stubble burning accounted for 36 per cent of Delhi’s PM2.5 on Friday, the highest so far this season.

“The overall air quality of Delhi plunged to the upper end of the severe category with additional firework emissions... The share of stubble emissions has peaked today at 36 per cent,” said Gufran Beig, the founder project director of SAFAR, as quoted by PTI.