Delhi BJP on Tuesday staged protests near Anand Vihar bus station and ITO , targeting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over its failure to address the alarming pollution levels in the city and also alleged corruption in the green cess, collected by city dispensation. The demonstration at Anand Vihar bus station, led by Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva and East Delhi MLA Harsh Malhotra saw party workers chanting slogans against AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi government and accusing them of years of neglect and corruption leading to worsening Delhi's air quality. While a protest at ITO led by former Union Minister Vijay Goel where he alongwith the party workers distributed masks and raised slogans against AAP government.
During an awareness-cum-mask distribution programme at Anand Vihar, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva slammed Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi, alleging the government's inaction in addressing the pollution crisis.
Delhi BJP further accused the AAP of failing to repair roads, address vehicular pollution, or fix potholes. "The Centre has provided thousands of projects like the Yamuna Expressway and the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways to reduce vehicular traffic in Delhi. If these projects hadn't been implemented, Delhi's condition would have been far worse. Kejriwal should stop shifting blame and take responsibility for destroying Delhi," he said.
He also pointed to stubble burning in Punjab as a major contributor to the crisis. "On Monday alone, there were 1,251 incidents of stubble burning in Punjab, governed by AAP, compared to 48 in Haryana and 130 in Uttar Pradesh. This negligence by the Punjab government is criminal, and Delhi is paying the price," Sachdeva added.
Echoing Sachdeva's sentiments, Harsh Malhotra commended the Centre's initiatives to curb pollution and slammed the AAP government for its inaction. Malhotra accused the AAP of using the green cess funds for corrupt practices and false promises. "The public is determined to eliminate this pollution -- AAP itself. If this government continues, people will have to live with masks permanently," he said.
Former Union Minister Vijay Goel staged a protest at ITO, and alleged that the AAP government in Delhi has failed to help the people struggling against the persisting hazardous air in the city.
Goel questioned how many more years it will take for Kejriwal to address Delhi's pollution effectively, and charged that over the past 10 years AAP government has relied on rhetoric than serious measures to tackle the issue of air pollution in winters. He said that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Delhi has touched 500, and in some places even reached 1133. The AAP government has turned Delhi into a gas chamber and people in the city can not go out for morning walk because of pollution, he added.
BJP Lok Sabha MP Manoj Tiwari distributed masks to people in New Delhi's Connaught Place on Tuesday as air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR) reached alarming levels. Tiwari accused the AAP government of evading responsibility and blamed them for pointing fingers at the Centre and BJP-ruled states over stubble burning.
"What could be more irresponsible?
The AAP governs Delhi; its leader is the Chief Minister, and the pollution control boards fall under their administration. Yet, they are blaming the Centre," he said.NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal, who accompanied Tiwari in distributing masks, also shared his concerns.