Mallikarjun Kharge Challenges Modi Over Northern India Air Pollution

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the BJP-led central government on November 10, 2026, for its handling of worsening air pollution across Delhi and northern India. Kharge challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide a "Hawa Ka Hisaab" (account of the air), alleging that the administration relies on "piecemeal measures, PR stunts, broken promises and blame games" rather than systemic solutions.

Kharge claimed that ₹1,154 crore in environmental compensation funds remain unspent and alleged that PM2.5 readings disappeared from 36 of Delhi's 59 monitoring stations during peak pollution periods. To highlight the crisis, he cited data attributing 17,188 deaths in Delhi to particulate pollution in 2023 and 169,400 child deaths across India in 2021.

This political confrontation follows a Supreme Court of India order requiring the BJP-ruled governments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to submit detailed pollution-tackling measures within two weeks. The crisis continues to affect residents across Punjab and Bihar, who are struggling for clean air.