Aaditya Thackeray slams BJP as Delhi chokes under ‘very poor’ air quality: 'Nobody is doing...'

Aaditya Thackeray

As Delhi continues to battle hazardous smog conditions and the air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category, fresh political attacks were levied on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday criticised the party for what he said is a complete breakdown of governance despite its control over multiple administrative layers in the national capital.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said that Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 370, which was well within the 'very poor' range, even as smog blanketed residential and commercial districts across the city.

Thackeray questioned the government's apparent lack of urgency, writing on X,
“Nobody from the government at any level is talking or doing anything on it.”

He also pointed to the wider impact of the pollution crisis, stating that hybrid schooling, rising absenteeism and increased sick leaves among employees are affecting productivity.

In a sharper criticism of the BJP’s governance, Thackeray added, “All levels of Government- from Union Government, to State, to municipal corporations in Delhi belong to the BJP. Giving all levels of government to one party has made governance crumble even further.”

The comments add to a growing chorus of political backlash over Delhi’s worsening winter pollution.

Earlier this month, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national spokesperson Sanjay Singh accused the BJP-led administration of failing to bring down emissions after police arrested several protesters demonstrating against air pollution at India Gate.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj also flagged alarming AQI levels in the capital, sharing a viral post that said Delhi’s pollution reading was close to 1,000 at one point — despite the city being home to the country’s top leadership, judiciary, armed forces and medical institutions. “How absolutely nuts is that,” the post read.

Meanwhile, in response to the deteriorating situation, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Saturday announced that select measures under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) would now be implemented under the currently active GRAP Stage 3, following the Supreme Court’s November 19 direction urging stronger preventive action.

Days after the Supreme Court allowed major revisions to the Graded Response Action Plan in the National Capital Region, some measures of GRAP-4 will be taken under stage 3, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Saturday.

For the uninitiated, GRAP is a set of pollution-control restrictions that take effect in stages as air quality deteriorates. With Delhi already under GRAP Stage III due to persistent toxic smog, most pollution curbs have already been implemented.