BJP, AAP engage in poster war even as Delhi chokes due to air pollution

A poster war broke out between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday even as Delhi’s air quality breached the “severe plus” category and hit the season’s worst levels.
Delhi’s air quality hit a new low today with an AQI reaching 484 at 8 am and further deteriorating to 490 by 1 pm and 493 by 3 pm. Some monitoring stations, including Dwarka Sector 8, Najafgarh, Nehru Nagar and Mundka, reported the maximum AQI level of 500, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Image shared by BJP’s Delhi unit on X.

The Delhi unit of BJP shared a post on X, with an image showing former Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal wearing a mask. “Kejriwal’s London is facing a breathing emergency,” the saffron party said.
The attack by the BJP prompted the ruling AAP government to release posters of their own. Sharing an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi wearing a mask, the AAP said, “Modi’s poisonous reign over all of north India.”

Image shared by AAP on X.

In another poster, AAP accused PM Modi of being in “flight mode” while several areas of north India were struggling with air pollution.
Sharing a picture of Prime Minister Modi emplaning for a foreign visit, the AAP said, “India On Pollution Mode…Modi On Flight Mode”.
“PM Modi, hiding from failures, fled abroad in flight mode,” the party said.
AAP’s attack was in reference to PM Modi’s ongoing five-day visit to Nigeria, Brazil and Guyana.
A video surfaced earlier on Monday, showing Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva and party MP Praveen Khandelwal distributing masks to people coming out of the central secretariat metro station.
The war of words came amid the Supreme Court hearing where it reprimanded both the Centre and the Delhi government over delay in invoking pollution preventive measures under GRAP stages in the capital city and adjoining regions.
“The moment the AQI reaches between 300 and 400, stage 4 has to be invoked. How can you take risk in these matters by delaying the applicability of stage 4 of GRAP,” the bench told the counsel representing the Delhi government.