New Delhi: Delhi’s Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday dismissed allegations that Diwali fireworks caused the capital’s pollution spike, calling such claims “a lie spread by admirers of Aurangzeb and Akbar.”
Sirsa, addressing a press conference, accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of deliberately dragging Hindu festivals into political controversy. “This isn’t the BJP’s festival. It’s a Sanatan Hindu festival. Why are you cursing it? Saying BJP is bursting crackers or doing wrong things is shameful,” he said.
The minister also attacked former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that the firecracker ban during AAP’s tenure was a political move aimed at “pleasing a particular community.” He said, “Since morning, Arvind Kejriwal’s team has been cursing Diwali. Sanjay Singh and others are tweeting against the festival to blame BJP.”
Sirsa presented comparative Air Quality Index (AQI) data, claiming the post-Diwali pollution rise this year was minimal. “The AQI increased by just 11 points after Diwali. In 2020, it rose by 21 points; in 2021, by 80; and in 2024, by 32 — even with a cracker ban. Will you still blame Diwali or the faith of millions of Sanatanis?” he said.
Earlier in the day, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the Delhi government of colluding with the “firecracker lobby” by failing to curb illegal sales. He questioned the missing pollution data from Diwali night, tweeting, “It’s almost certain that Delhi Govt’s DMs and police didn’t stop illegal sales of normal crackers though SC only allowed green crackers.”
The Supreme Court had permitted only green firecrackers between 6–7 pm and 8–10 pm, but widespread violations were reported across the city, potentially contributing to a marginal AQI rise.
While AAP continues to question pollution management, the Delhi government maintains that this year’s data disproves the notion that Diwali alone is responsible for toxic air levels in the capital.
