New Delhi, Nov 9 — Responding to Congress leader Alka Lamba's Tweet on air pollution, the BJP on Monday said it did not agree with targeting Diwali, Sanatan Dharma or Hindus in the name of pollution, emphasising that everyone must collectively fight the problem.
The party said launching a campaign targeting a festival associated with a particular religion was inappropriate and that efforts to combat pollution should not be driven by religious considerations.
The remarks came after Alka Lamba posted on Sunday, saying, "Delhi’s Diwali—with pollution. Wishing you a happy Diwali."
Speaking to IANS, Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra said, "I do not agree with targeting Diwali, Sanatan Dharma or Hindus in the name of pollution. We must all fight pollution together, but running a campaign targeting the festival of a particular religion is not right. This has become a trend among certain people who remain silent at other times but launch targeted campaigns during Diwali."
BJP leader Mrityunjay Tiwari also criticised the Congress, saying that the party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had governed Delhi for a considerable period.
He said, "Alka Lamba ji should know that the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party governments were in power in Delhi for a long time. The pollution that occurs in Delhi after Diwali is a matter of concern. The government is making efforts at its level, but common people also need to become aware and work towards addressing this issue. Only then can the poison in the air be tackled. The Delhi government is taking concrete steps."
Meanwhile, Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao defended Alka Lamba's remarks and criticised the BJP government over its handling of the pollution crisis.
He said, "Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba is rightly criticising the BJP government in Delhi over pollution. The pollution problem has continued for several years, but the government has not taken adequate steps to address it. People are suffering immensely. During Diwali, everyone celebrates and bursts firecrackers, but what about pollution? The present government must focus on pollution control; otherwise, people will continue to suffer."
Meanwhile, several monitoring stations in Delhi recorded 'severe' air quality on Monday, a day after Diwali celebrations witnessed widespread use of firecrackers despite restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court.
The court had permitted only certified green crackers between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on November 7 and 8, with a complete ban coming into force again on November 9. However, firecrackers were reportedly burst beyond the permitted hours, while illegal sales of conventional crackers had also been reported ahead of Diwali.