The national capital’s toxic air once again ignited a political storm on Saturday, as senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sharply criticised the Central government for what they termed “complete administrative failure” in addressing Delhi’s prolonged pollution crisis. Their remarks came amid alarming AQI levels across NCR, where several monitoring stations recorded readings well above the ‘severe’ category for the third consecutive day.
Speaking during a party interaction in the capital, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed deep concern over the deteriorating air quality and accused the Centre of ignoring a public health emergency. “It is the government’s responsibility to do something. People are struggling to breathe, children and elderly are falling ill, and the Central government continues to look the other way,” she said, calling the situation “unacceptable for any civilized society.”
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also launched an aggressive attack, alleging that the Union government had consistently failed to prepare long-term measures despite repeated warnings. She pointed out that the pollution crisis recurs every winter, yet no sustainable strategy has been implemented. “Every year we hear promises, but the air only gets worse. Instead of blaming others, the Centre should take concrete steps. Delhi’s people deserve accountability, not excuses,” Priyanka said.
The Congress leadership accused the ruling dispensation of being more focused on political battles than on public welfare. Both leaders demanded immediate intervention, including emergency health advisories, stricter industrial emission checks, curbs on construction dust, and rapid deployment of pollution-control equipment.
