Delhi AQI: Will you hold Diwali responsible, asks BJP minister Manjinder Sirsa, shares pollution data from 2020

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday cited data from 2020 to claim that Diwali is not responsible for the Delhi AQI today, which has plunged into the ‘severe’ category in key areas.

Addressing a press conference, he blamed the erstwhile Arvind Kejriwal government, which had banned firecrackers in Delhi on Diwali.

“For 10 years, Arvind Kejriwal was the Chief Minister… Arvind Kejriwal first deliberately banned firecrackers in Delhi to garner the votes of a particular community, to appease them,” he said.

Sirsa claimed that Diwali is not to be blamed for the Delhi AQI dipping, and accused the opposition of trying to please “some section”.

“Let me tell you that those who are blaming Diwali for this, it is a lie. This is being done only to please some section. The admirers of Aurangzeb and Akbar are saying this; those who had put Tipu Sultan’s photo in the Vidhan Sabha are saying this,” he said.

Delhi AQI: What data did minister cite?

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, addressing reporters, said that the Delhi AQI on Diwali rose more in 2020 , 2021 and 2024 as compared to this year when the firecracker ban was lifted.

He said that in 2020, Delhi AQI on Diwali rose 21 points to 435, and similar trends followed in the subsequent years.

“In 2020, the firecrackers in Diwali were going on. At that time, PM 2.5 was 414 before Diwali and 435 after Diwali. There was an increase of 21 points in the firecrackers. In 2021, there was an increase of 80 points. In 2024, when the firecrackers were banned, the AQI was 328 before Diwali and 360 after Diwali – 32 points increased when the firecrackers were banned.,” Sirsa told reporters.

Compared to the previous years, Delhi AQI on Diwali rose just 11 points to 356 in 2025 when the green firecrakers were permitted, the minister claimed.

“On the order of the Supreme Court and on the request of the Delhi government, we got permission for green firecrackers. Before Diwali, the AQI was 345, and after Diwali, the AQI was 356, according to the CPCB’s SAMEER App. Only 11 points increased when the firecrackers were allowed,” he said.

Sirsa asked if one would hold Diwali responsible for the rise in Delhi AQI, indicating that bursting of firecrackers did not make a huge difference in air pollution.

“Will you hold Diwali responsible for this? Will you hold the faith of all the Sanatanas and Hindus in Delhi accountable? What is the fault in this?”

Delhi AQI dips post Diwali

Earlier in the day, Delhi residents woke up to a thick cloud of haze, as air quality plummeted to the ‘red zone’ after a night of heavy cracker-bursting.

As per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi AQI stood at 359 as of 10 am today.

Bawana recorded an AQI of 432 as of 10 am, Jahangirpuri had an AQI of 405, Ashok Vihar had an AQI of 408 and Wazirpur, with an AQI of 408, remains the worst hit area with air quality falling under the ‘Severe’ category.