AAP slams govt over rise in air pollution, BJP dismisses claims

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday accused the BJP-led Delhi government of failing to control rising air pollution in the national capital, describing the situation as a “public health emergency”. The BJP dismissed the allegations, claiming that Delhi’s air quality has shown improvement compared to previous years.

AAP leaders alleged that while pollution levels in Delhi continue to deteriorate, BJP ministers were focusing on election campaigns in Bihar instead of addressing the worsening situation in the city. The party further accused the government of manipulating air quality data and wasting public money on projects like artificial rainfall that have yielded no results.

AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj said residents are struggling to breathe safely as pollution levels rise. He said groups like the Warrior Moms, a collective of concerned parents, had written to the Health Minister, calling for urgent measures to safeguard children from pollution.

Bharadwaj wrote on X, “The Warrior Moms have written to the Health Minister about the alarming pollution levels. But during this health emergency, Delhi’s Health Minister and other BJP ministers have been busy in Bihar for the past several days.”

Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also posted on X, saying, “Delhi is facing a full-fledged public health emergency. The truth is, it’s not Delhi’s air but the BJP’s mindset that has become toxic.”

Chief Whip Sanjeev Jha said on X that the government was focusing on public appearances instead of taking action to reduce pollution. “The BJP Chief Minister and her ministers are busy making reels instead of taking concrete steps to reduce pollution. They are manipulating AQI data by falsifying records from monitoring stations,” he alleged.

AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said: “CM Rekha Gupta ji, now that you are done campaigning in Bihar, please pay some attention to Delhi too. Do you have any plan beyond blaming former CM Arvind Kejriwal?” she wrote.

The party said the city’s pollution levels are at a record high. “Instead of saving lives, the BJP government is busy manipulating AQI data. People are being forced to breathe toxic air while the government is occupied with fudging figures,” AAP said.

Responding to AAP’s claims, BJP Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva said Opposition’s remarks were baseless. “Delhi’s pollution levels are somewhat concerning, but people know the air quality has improved over the past few years,” he said.

Sachdeva added that the government was working with multiple agencies to manage the situation and that measures were being taken to curb emissions and control dust.