‘Sky is grey, lungs are black and BJP’s responsibility invisible’: Abhishek Manu Singhvi as Delhi’s air quality worsens

File photo: Abhishek Manu Singhvi at an event in Chennai earlier this year | Photo credit: RAGHUNATHAN SR

As air quality continues to deteriorate in Delhi, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi has criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government here, saying people in the national capital do not need “sermons” at festivals, but they need responsibility.

In a post on

“Singhvi’s comments come at a time when Delhi continues to suffer from alarming levels of air pollution. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) remained in the ‘very poor’ category in several parts of the city on Wednesday morning.

According to CPCB data, the AQI in southwest Delhi’s RK Puram area remains “very poor” at 380 at 7 am today. The AQI at Anand Vihar also remains “very poor” at 355. Ashok Vihar recorded an AQI of 355, followed by Bawana at 376 under the “very poor” category. The AQI in Dwarka Sector 8 area remains at 353, 362 in ITO and 394 in Nehru Nagar. Similarly, in Chandni Chowk, the AQI remains “very poor” at 332. Around Akshardham, the AQI was recorded at 360, which also falls under the “very poor” category.

Meanwhile, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of scapegoating Diwali over the capital’s rising pollution levels. He alleged that the opposition’s narrative is a ploy to appease a “specific vote bank” by pushing for a ban on the festival’s traditions, including diyas and crackers.

“The Aam Aadmi Party is completely focused on proving that the pollution here in Delhi is due to Diwali. This is because they have a particular vote bank that they want to appease, and that is why they are trying their best to prove that Diwali should be banned because of the smoke from diyas and crackers, which is causing pollution,” Sirsa told ANI in an interview.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday also stated that the UT government is “proactively working” on artificial rain to control pollution in the national capital. CM Gupta also stated that the government is promoting electric vehicles to reduce pollution and improve the environment of the city, thereby reducing pollution.

“The aim is to deploy 10,000 electric buses by 2027. To facilitate this, public and semi-public charging stations are being installed across the capital,” she said.

Published on October 22, 2025