A view of Raisina Hill amid dense smog, in New Delhi on Monday The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have targeted the Delhi government over worsening air quality, alleging it of doing 'AQI data fraud' as city was gripped in thick smog on Diwali night. The Congress has questioned whether AQI data monitors at some stations were deliberately switched off when firecrackers were burst on Diwali. The AAP said that when pollution data is shown less than actual figures, it can lead to very serious medical situations like heart attacks, asthma attacks, respiratory failure, and even worse. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera took to X and said, "Congratulations to Delhi for getting a double, triple or whatever engine Sarkaar that is moving swiftly to choke us all to death — and doing so stealthily. "There were no PM2.5 readings recorded at 25 of Delhi's 39 monitoring stations between 2 and 3 a.m. on the night of November 8–9. WHY? Is the government suppressing the data? Were the monitors deliberately switched off? Or was the pollution so dangerously high that it exceeded the measuring capacity of the equipment? Whatever the reason, the government owes the people of Delhi an explanation," Khera asked. "But there is one thing the people of Delhi can be certain of: the fact that the data has gone missing doesn't mean the pollution has disappeared too. The poisonous smoke we have been inhaling since last night will continue to choke our lungs, threaten our lives and shorten our life expectancy. And through it all, the BJP will keep clapping," the Congress leader said. AAP leader and former Delhi minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the manipulation of the data can lead to serious situation. "When Pollution data is shown less than actual data, it can lead to very serious situations - heart attacks, asthma attacks, respiratory failure , and even worse," he said. In another remark, the AAP leader took a dig at bursting of firecrackers with Patakha Economics comment, and said, "Manufacturers made crores, Political Dalals made crores, Police made lacs, Hospitals will make lacs, Govt to spend crores on Pollution." A smoky haze hung over Delhi on Diwali night, blurring streetlights and blanketing neighbourhoods as celebrations intensified across the capital, pushing air quality at 20 monitoring stations into the 'severe' category, with the overall Air Quality Index standing at 371 at 10 pm. The haze grew denser as the evening progressed, with smoke from firecrackers hanging over roads and residential neighbourhoods. The smell of burnt crackers lingered in the air, while visibility dropped in several parts of the capital and residents reported difficulty breathing. Despite restrictions on bursting firecrackers, several parts of Delhi continued to witness their use on Sunday evening, with reports of fireworks emerging from areas, including Pitampura, Burari, Mayur Vihar and parts of Lutyens' Delhi. Ahead of Diwali, the Delhi government had appealed to people to comply with the Supreme Court's directions on sale and use of green firecrackers. Shashwat Bhandari is the Associate Editor at Times Now. With 14 years of experience in the news and media industry, he understands the responsibility ... View More