‘Did artificial rain happen?’ AAP slams CM Rekha Gupta as BJP blames stubble burning, citizens flouting Diwali cracker rules

People walk in the morning near the India Gate monument amidst morning smog a day after Diwali festival in Delhi, on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. (Image: AP Photo)

The morning after Diwali brought a thick grey haze and suffocating air to Delhi, pushing pollution levels into the “very poor” category despite curbs on crackers. The political blame game intensified, with AAP leaders mocking Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and the BJP-led Delhi government for its “failure” to control the pollution crisis, while BJP leaders shifted responsibility to citizens and stubble burning in neighbouring states.

AAP MLA Gopal Rai accused the government of “making excuses” and failing to act decisively. “There is a lot of pollution in Delhi. The level of pollution has increased. But the Delhi government is not doing anything. They are making excuses and blaming other states,” he said, adding that BJP leaders in power across UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan had not coordinated any preventive measures before the festival. “Why didn’t they talk to any other state first before Diwali?” he asked.

Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP’s Delhi unit chief, slammed Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, claiming she lacked even basic understanding of pollution data. “The Chief Minister does not even know how to pronounce AQI. She calls it IQ, QQ. She has no understanding. The government has failed to stop pollution,” he said, accusing the administration of empty promises and inaction. Bharadwaj also alleged that the government had misled citizens over its plans for artificial rain.

“The government lies. They said that after Diwali, they would fix all the pollution by conducting artificial rain. Did it happen? No,” he remarked, questioning whether the government wanted people to fall sick.

Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed also joined the criticism, targeting both the central and Delhi governments for their alleged negligence. In a post on X, she wrote, “AQI has crossed 400 in most parts of Delhi, the air is choking, and people can’t even step outside. CM @gupta_rekha and Delhi Police failed to implement the court order, and crackers were burst till midnight. This toxic air is endangering children and the elderly.” She added that the BJP “has completely failed Delhi and its people.”

The BJP, however, countered these attacks by pointing fingers at external factors. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “Delhi bearing the brunt of pollution from neighbouring states, stubble being burnt despite the Supreme Court’s stricture.”

He claimed that while AAP leaders "condemned the Delhi CM, the BJP and Sanatan Dharm followers over celebration of Diwali and bursting of crackers," the real reason behind worsening air quality was stubble burning in Punjab.

Sirsa said the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was 341 before Diwali, and it rose to 356 afterwards, up by just 11 points.

BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya went further, saying, “Stop blaming Deepawali for the sins of the Aam Aadmi Party – it’s their smoke, not the festival’s lamps or firecrackers, that darkens Delhi’s skies.”

Another BJP minister, Ashish Sood, shifted the responsibility to citizens, accusing them of ignoring the Supreme Court’s guidelines. “Firecrackers were burst. AQI was high, but firecrackers are not the only reason for it. Residents of Delhi should have followed the Supreme Court guidelines. Whoever broke the 10 pm deadline... it was an irresponsible act,” he said. He added that citizens should follow the rules “so that we do not face this situation next Diwali.”

The Supreme Court had allowed green firecrackers between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali, but several residents ignored the restrictions, with celebrations continuing late into the night.

Defending his party, Sood argued that the pollution crisis was a result of “AAP’s inaction over the past decade.” He said, “Stubble is burnt in Punjab, but the then Arvind Kejriwal government did nothing. The opposition is just doing politics to hide its failure.”

At 11 am on Tuesday, Delhi’s Air Quality Index stood at 359 -- categorised as “very poor” -- according to the Central Pollution Control Board. The city’s 24-hour average AQI the previous day was 345. Out of 38 monitoring stations, 35 showed readings in the red zone, with four recording “severe” air quality. Haryana’s AQI was 358, while Punjab cities like Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana recorded 212, 242, and 268 respectively.

Meanwhile, the first 24-metre-high anti-smog tower at Connaught Place inaugurated by previous CM Arvind Kejriwal in 2021, remained locked. The tower built at a cost of Rs 22.9 crore has the impact limited to a 50-metre radius, which experts have said that its construction has been a waste of public money.