In a sharp political volley ahead of Delhi’s crucial assembly elections, BJP leader Harish Khurana has accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of running away from a head-on discussion on the city’s crippling pollution crisis. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi today, Khurana lambasted AAP’s environmental record, claiming the party has failed miserably in tackling the toxic air that chokes the capital every winter.
Delhi’s air quality has once again plunged into the ‘severe’ category, with AQI levels soaring past 400 in several parts of the city. Khurana pointed fingers at AAP’s governance over the past decade, highlighting unfulfilled promises on cleaning the Yamuna River, curbing stubble burning, and implementing effective public transport solutions. ‘AAP talks big on freebies but shies away from real accountability on pollution,’ he thundered, challenging AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to an open debate.
The BJP leader detailed a litany of failures: unchecked construction dust, overflowing landfills, and lax enforcement against polluting vehicles. He contrasted this with BJP-ruled states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, where he claims aggressive measures like anti-stubble burning campaigns are yielding results. Khurana also criticized AAP’s reliance on odd-even schemes as mere ‘eyewash’ that burdens citizens without addressing root causes.
As winter smog threatens public health yet again, with hospitals reporting spikes in respiratory cases among children and the elderly, Khurana’s remarks have ignited a fresh political slugfest. AAP has yet to respond officially, but party insiders hint at countering with data on electric vehicle push and tree plantation drives. With elections looming, pollution – Delhi’s perennial scourge – is set to dominate campaign narratives, forcing parties to confront uncomfortable truths about their stewardship of the national capital’s breathable air.