New Delhi: As thick smog continues to blanket Delhi, the city’s air pollution crisis has reignited a fierce political battle. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the BJP of offering “new excuses every year” while the capital’s air quality keeps deteriorating, drawing an immediate response from Delhi’s Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
Gandhi, in a post on social media, said the BJP could no longer evade responsibility for Delhi’s worsening air since it now governs both at the Centre and in the national capital. “Year after year, Delhi’s air is turning more poisonous, yet BJP governments keep changing their excuses. Now that the BJP rules both at the Centre and in Delhi, there can be no more excuses. People want clean air, not just promises,” he wrote.
Responding swiftly, Sirsa countered that both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had contributed to Delhi’s pollution problem over the years. He claimed that the cleanest air quality in a decade was recorded this year under the BJP’s administration. “Fifteen years of Congress rule and ten years of AAP government are responsible for Delhi’s pollution situation,” he said.
The political sparring comes as the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) continues to hover at alarming levels. As of 7 am on Monday, Delhi’s overall AQI was recorded at 309, classified as “very poor,” according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. Several areas, including Alipur, Anand Vihar, Burari, and Wazirpur, saw readings above 400, placing them in the “severe” category.
Experts have repeatedly warned that short-term blame games and seasonal measures will not resolve Delhi’s chronic air pollution. Yet, as political leaders trade accusations, millions of residents remain exposed to hazardous air, struggling through another season of toxic smog.
