BJP leader Kapil Mishra says ban on firecrackers ‘politics of appeasement’

New Delhi: Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Vice President Kapil Mishra alleged that the ban on firecrackers by the Delhi government was “politics of appeasement”, in a press conference on Tuesday.

This comes in the face of Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai’s announcement on Monday who said that all types of firecrackers will remain banned this Diwali, and licences will not be issued by Delhi Police for the sale, storage or manufacture of them.

Citing an IIT-Delhi report which claims that firecrackers only contribute to 2 per cent pollution, Mishra demanded that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should show the citizens the details of steps taken to curb 98 per cent of the city’s pollution causes.

“The Kejriwal government has also ignored the Supreme Court order and has once again made its intention to suppress Diwali enthusiasm clear by banning firecrackers on Diwali,” he said. He added that BJP wanted green crackers in accordance with the Supreme Court decision. Additionally, 16 points, including odd-even vehicles, dust-free roads, air purifiers, given by the government in the Supreme Court affidavit remain to be followed.

Calling the ban a way to target one religious festival under the guise of pollution, Kapil Mishra said that it also a “betrayal” of the firecracker traders in the city as it would be an economic blow to them, since they had not been prepared for this announcement.