Opposition accuses Delhi government of manipulating air pollution data; BJP alleges conspiracy behind Punjab farm fires

New Delhi 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.