‘Our aim is to save lives, not do politics’: Delhi minister's counterattack on criticism over firecracker ban

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said that when our ancestors celebrated Diwali, there were no firecrackers as those were not produced. “The priority of every religion is to save the lives of the people,” he added.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Sunday took a veiled attack at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government's re-imposition of the blanket ban on firecrackers. He said his government's priority is to save human lives and that they are not interested in politics over firecrackers.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai. (ANI)

Pollution levels skyrocket in Delhi every year around Diwali, and during the winter season. Speaking with reporters, Rai said that emissions from firecrackers are extremely dangerous, especially for children, women and elderly persons.

"Our priority is to save lives. We are not interested in politics over firecrackers. Some people even moved the Supreme Court over the issue. There is no scope of a debate after the apex courts' decision in the matter," he was quoted as saying by PTI.

The blanket ban on firecrackers is in place in the national capital till January 1, a practice that has been followed for the last two years.

Rai's mention of the Supreme Court comes after BJP MP Manoj Tiwari's petition seeking an urgent hearing of a plea challenging the blanket ban on firecracker was dismissed by the apex court on Thursday. “Let people breathe clean air…spend your money on sweets,” the court said.

Furthermore, the Delhi environment minister on Wednesday said bursting of firecrackers in the city will attract a prison term of up to six months, and a fine of ₹200. He said production, storage and sale of firecrackers in Delhi will be punishable with a fine of up to ₹5,000, and three years behind bars under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.

Backing his government's decision, Rai said that when our ancestors celebrated Diwali, there were no firecrackers “as then [those] were not produced”. “The priority of every religion is to save the lives of the people,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.

BJP leaders have earlier targetted the AAP-headed government in Delhi, and even called it “anti-Hindu”. On Saturday, RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch slammed the government over the firecracker ban, terming the move “inappropriate and unscientific”.

The ban on all kinds of firecrackers, SJM said, is not just “arbitrary, anti-people and bereft of any scientific basis, but also hurting the sentiments of the people on the occasion of Diwali”.

Meanwhile, as many as 408 teams have been set up to implement the ban in the national capital. Delhi Police have set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, while the Union territory's revenue department has constituted 165 teams. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has, on the other hand, constituted 33 teams for the purpose.