Four govt agencies manipulated Delhi’s pollution data on Diwali night: AAP Saurabh Bhardwaj
Speaking to ANI, Bhardwaj said: “They are corrupt and criminals, what they are doing is a criminal act… Four different government agencies worked together to collect pollution data of Delhi on Diwali night… Today’s news states that Nehru Nagar station recorded an AQI of 1763 and was subsequently closed. They are playing with people’s health…”
AAP’s remarks came soon after Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa presented data claiming that the Diwali festival had only a minimal impact on the city’s overall pollution levels. Sirsa alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was trying to blame “Diwali, Hindus and Sanatanis” for Delhi’s air pollution, calling it a “sin” to attribute the festival to the capital’s deteriorating air quality.
In an interview with ANI, Sirsa lashed out at AAP for what he described as a politically motivated attempt to ban Hindu religious practices and said: “The problem is not crackers. The Aam Aadmi Party is putting all its efforts to prove that the pollution in Delhi is due to Diwali. They are focusing on this because they have a certain vote bank to please. Lighting lamps and bursting firecrackers is prohibited.” They are working hard to ban Diwali by saying. creates smoke.”
To counter AAP’s narrative, Sirsa presented comparative data from previous years to show that the impact of Diwali on pollution levels was minimal. “According to data from DPCC and CPCB, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 345 on the night before Diwali, which is lower than previous years. In 2020, it was recorded at 414, in 2021 it was recorded at 382, and in our time this year it was 345. After fireworks burst on Diwali, the AQI rose slightly to 356 with only 11 points of increase,” he explained.
The minister also emphasized that AQI levels increased significantly even in the years when fireworks were banned. “Last year, despite the fireworks ban, the AQI rose from 328 on the eve of Diwali to 360 the next morning, an increase of 32 points. The previous year, it rose from 218 to 301 in 2023, a jump of 83 points.” Sirsa insisted that it was misleading to put the blame solely on Diwali. “Therefore, it would be misleading to blame Diwali fireworks alone for the rise in pollution levels. There may have been some impact, but it is sinful for the Aam Aadmi Party to try to suggest that Diwali, Hindus and Sanatanis are responsible for Delhi’s pollution,” he said. Sirsa accused AAP of scapegoating Diwali for the capital’s rising pollution levels. The opposition’s narrative is that it is a ploy to appease a “certain vote bank” by pressing for a ban on the festival’s traditions, including diyas and crackers.
Sirsa said in an interview, “The Aam Aadmi Party is completely focused on proving that the pollution in Delhi is due to Diwali. This is because they have a certain vote bank which they want to appease and so they are trying hard to prove that Diwali should be banned due to the pollution occurring due to the smoke coming out of diyas and crackers.”
The minister’s harsh response comes amid a renewed blame game in Delhi, where the Air Quality Index (AQI) fell slightly to 345 on the eve of Diwali but rose to 356 after fireworks, leading to accusations from AAP leaders that the festival was worsening winter smog.
Sirsa described the opposition’s obsession as “dishonest” and insisted that fireworks played a minor role compared to systemic problems such as stubble burning in neighboring states.
“It is dishonest to blame firecrackers alone for the pollution. Yes, they may have had some impact, but the opposition is focused on ‘Diwali, Hindus and Sanatanis are responsible for the pollution…’ I feel they are trying to (socialise the issue). If they were fair, they could have brought this up yesterday as well; the AQI was 345 then too, but they did not tweet about it. They also claim the data is as follows: manipulated, but they also say we manipulated the EVMs,” he said, drawing parallels with AAP’s broader allegations of election fraud.
Delhi Environment Minister further slammed AAP’s “lies” and called for them to accept a dramatic defeat in the face of the propaganda machine.
“We fold our hands against the lies of Kejriwal and his team. We do not even claim to follow them. We admit it, we are nothing in the face of their lies. Big names surrendered before them. Their lies are unprecedented,” admitted Sirsa, turning to transparency.
“But the data is public, from CPCB and DPCC… Data of every minute is available online… But they want to check it… They thought AQI will come into play and create mayhem against us. In the morning, they tried to discredit Diwali and in the evening, they claimed the data was fake. If the data is fake, then how can pollution be real?” he said.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 351 as of 4 pm on Tuesday, following Diwali celebrations.
The pollution rate on Lodhi Road was 343; Meanwhile, it was 274 in Sirifort. In Greater Noida and Ghaziabad, the AQI was 282 and 324 respectively.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’ and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.
