“Are we becoming a ‘world leader’ (Vishwaguru) in air pollution?” — Kharge attacks the BJP; the BJP responds, calling it “just politics.”

“Are we becoming a ‘world leader’ (Vishwaguru) in air pollution?” — Kharge attacks the BJP; the BJP responds, calling it “just politics.”

Addressing the deteriorating air quality and suffocating pollution across North India, including the national capital, Delhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has questioned the Modi-led central government and the BJP. Kharge asked, “Why are we becoming a ‘world leader’ when it comes to air pollution? Piecemeal measures, public relations stunts, broken promises, and a culture of blame-shifting have become the hallmarks of the BJP. Clean air is a fundamental right, not a privilege granted by the government. Last year, amidst allegations of ‘erasing’ pollution data, water tankers were seen spraying water around AQI monitoring stations. This year, however, with pollution reaching its peak, PM2.5 readings vanished from 36 of Delhi’s 59 monitoring stations. Over the past 12 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has merely put on a show regarding the issue of air pollution. On May 8, 2019, he termed it a ‘major challenge,’ yet his government has done nothing to address it! From Delhi-NCR to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan, people are yearning for clean air.” The BJP has hit back at this statement, dismissing it as “purely political” and claiming that Kharge sees politics in everything.