Delhi Air‑Purifier Sales Surge as Public Doubts BJP’s AQI Data

Saurabh Bharadwaj, the AAP’s Delhi state president, has accused the ruling party of using intimidation to secure support from traditional Chhath Puja committees. He alleged that these committees have been told that financial assistance will be withheld unless they formally join the BJP, mirroring pressure tactics he says were also used during the Kanwar Yatra, where devotees were asked to endorse the party before the pilgrimage could commence.

The leader also targeted the government’s narrative on the Yamuna river. He cited a video filmed by a Dalit youth that displayed thousands of dead fish, directly contradicting a high‑budget advertising campaign portraying a clean river. Instead of launching an investigative probe, the administration supposedly detained the video creator while ignoring the polluted state of the waterway.

Bharadwaj warned that children participating in Chhath rituals and drinking river water could suffer serious health issues, and he demanded that the authorities act on scientific evidence rather than partisan agendas.

A noticeable rise in the purchase of air‑purifiers across the capital has, according to Bharadwaj, exposed the public’s skepticism toward official Air Quality Index (AQI) figures that claim Diwali fireworks caused no significant pollution. He said residents are experiencing the smog first‑hand, prompting them to invest in personal filtration solutions.

He also condemned the police response to a grim discovery: the body of a young woman found in a trial room of a Motinagar garment shop. Bharadwaj described Delhi as being under “jungle rule,” accusing the police of selective enforcement, corruption, and willingness to act only when political pressure or bribes are involved, especially in cases involving women and children.