The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister questioned why people bursting crackers are criticised while those involved in corruption face no scrutiny.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath defended the use of firecrackers during Diwali on Wednesday, stating that any resulting pollution would eventually subside. Speaking at an event in Lucknow, Adityanath responded to criticism regarding rising air quality index (AQI) levels following the festivities.
According to reports from The News Mill and The New Indian Express, the Chief Minister questioned why the public is blamed for a single day of celebrations while those who have corrupted the state system face no consequences. He noted that the government had decided not to implement any prohibitions on fireworks.
During the ceremony, Adityanath issued appointment letters to 1,146 newly recruited junior assistants for the Revenue Department. He claimed that before 2017, festivals were often preceded by communal riots and that previous administrations allowed syndicates to control recruitment processes.
The Chief Minister also announced that the state aims to distribute appointment letters to one lakh more youths under Mission Rozgar by January 26, 2027. He stated that such distribution programmes would now be held every five days to accelerate recruitment.
At the same event, Adityanath distributed ₹215 crore in assistance to 4,300 beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Kisan Durghatna Kalyan Yojana. Central Pollution Control Board readings on Wednesday showed Khurja recorded the highest AQI in the state at 299, followed by Ghaziabad at 297 and Noida at 291.
