The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government of manipulating air quality data a day after Deepavali, even as Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra alleged a “conspiracy” behind a sudden spike in stubble-burning incidents in AAP-ruled Punjab.
“The government which shuts down air quality monitoring stations on the night of Diwali, the government that does data fraud, how will you trust such a government?” asked AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj in a video posted on X.
Mr. Bharadwaj alleged that the government is manipulating pollution readings by installing monitoring stations near green areas and sprinkling water around them.
He warned that understating pollution levels could have serious public health consequences, including heart attacks, asthma attacks and respiratory failure.
The AAP had last week written to the Commission for Air Quality Management and the Central Pollution Control Board, accusing the Delhi government of manipulating air quality data.
Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken said PM2.5 data was available from only 23 of Delhi’s 59 monitoring stations at 1 a.m. on Monday.
In a post on X, he called for an inspection of stations from which no data could be retrieved and urged the authorities to rectify any defects immediately to ensure effective monitoring of air quality.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mishra alleged that the sharp rise in farm fires in Punjab on Deepavali was suspicious and warranted an investigation.
According to official data, Punjab recorded 1,152 farm fires on November 8, the highest single-day count this season, taking the cumulative figure to 4,459.
Addressing a press conference, Mr. Mishra said satellite data showed around 100 to 125 farm fires daily on November 5, 6 and 7, before the figure surged to nearly 1,200 on Deepavali.
“We got calls from farmers in Punjab saying that stubble was being set on fire. Someone was setting stubble on fire and running away while farmers were celebrating Diwali with their families. This is a very serious issue and a conspiracy against Delhi, Punjab and farmers,” he said.
Mr. Mishra urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to order an inquiry, register FIRs in cases of deliberate burning and examine the phone records of local representatives in the affected areas.
He also accused AAP leaders of running a campaign against Deepavali, firecrackers and “Sanatan traditions”.
Rejecting the allegations, Mr. Bharadwaj said the government should follow scientific principles while discussing pollution.
“Even if your Punjab theory is believed, smoke takes 2-3 days to travel from Punjab to Delhi. Stubble burnt on Diwali night in Punjab cannot reach Delhi in 10 minutes,” he said in a post on X.
He also questioned why Delhi alone is witnessing high pollution levels if farm fires in Punjab are responsible, arguing that the smoke would first have to pass through Haryana.
Mr. Mishra, however, claimed that the rise in Delhi’s pollution levels after Deepavali was lower this year than in previous years. He said pollution had increased by 43.33% in 2023 and around 10% in 2024, while this year it had declined by 1.33%.
Punjab rejects charge
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday rejected Mr. Mishra’s allegations, accusing the BJP of deliberately defaming the State’s farmers.
“Kapil Mishra is lying,” Mr. Cheema told reporters in Chandigarh, responding to the Delhi Minister’s claim that farmers had reported their fields being deliberately set ablaze while they were celebrating Deepavali.
“Is Punjab the only paddy-producing state?” he asked, questioning why the BJP was blaming Punjab while overlooking stubble-burning incidents in neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Mr. Cheema alleged that the BJP was targeting Punjab’s farmers because of their prolonged agitation against the three farm laws, which the Centre subsequently repealed.
He said the Punjab government had taken steps to discourage stubble burning, including providing farmers with modern machinery and equipment for stubble management.
Punjab AAP media in-charge Baltej Pannu also accused the BJP of attempting to divert attention from its failure to tackle air pollution in Delhi.
He claimed that Punjab had achieved “nearly 90% control” over stubble burning this year, following an 80% reduction last year, and cited a Union government reply in Parliament to support his assertion.
(With inputs from PTI)
Published – November 10, 2026 01:30 am IST
