The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has exposed the BJP for turning Delhi’s pollution crisis into an opportunity for profit. AAP’s MCD Co-Incharges Praveen Kumar and Preeti Dogra pointed out that the BJP has doubled parking fees under the guise of fighting pollution — raising rates in areas like Connaught Place from ₹20 to ₹40 per hour — while air quality continues to worsen. He said the BJP government cares less about the breath of Delhi residents and more about filling contractors’ pockets. The AAP strongly condemned the hike and demanded its immediate rollback.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on Monday, AAP’s MCD co-incharge Praveen Kumar stated, “Pollution in Delhi has now reached dangerous levels. The BJP is continuously trying to manipulate pollution data, but the so-called four-engine BJP government has no concern for the lives of Delhi residents. On the contrary, just as PM Modi once spoke about finding ‘aapda mein avsar’ (opportunity in disaster,) the BJP seems to be fully following that principle.”
Pointing to the sharp hike in parking fees, Praveen Kumar said, “In this disaster of pollution, the BJP saw an opportunity. The BJP-controlled New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has doubled the parking charges — from ₹20 per hour earlier to ₹40 per hour now at sites like Connaught Place. Recently, when I parked my car, I discovered that the rates had been doubled. Around me, taxi drivers, motorists, and people who had come for short errands of 15–20 minutes were parking on the roadside instead of using parking lots. This is causing severe traffic jams, and since vehicles remain running, it is increasing pollution even further.”
Highlighting the public burden, he continued, “The rise in parking charges is hitting people’s pockets hard, yet pollution is not being curbed. Instead, BJP-controlled bodies and contractors are filling their coffers. In the name of fighting pollution, a full-fledged mafia is operating in Delhi to benefit contractors. The BJP has drawn up a blueprint for looting crores under the pretext of pollution. We will not tolerate this. The Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemns the increased parking fees and demands that they be immediately rolled back.”
Warning of a bigger plan, Praveen Kumar added, “After NDMC’s hike, the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is also preparing to double parking charges at 400 of its sites. Through this, the BJP is set to directly loot crores from poor drivers and the common public. The Aam Aadmi Party will not tolerate this black order. It must be withdrawn immediately. In the coming days, we will expose the entire nexus of contractors, pollution management, and the parking scam, and unmask the BJP’s dark face.”
Meanwhile, MCD Co-Incharge Preeti Dogra stated, “The air in Delhi is no longer just smog — it has turned into clouds of death. Breathing in Delhi has become difficult. Today’s media reports say that the ‘Warrior Moms’ group has written to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda, stating that Delhi’s air has become so toxic that children are unable to attend school. They suffer constantly and keep coughing. When they go to hospitals, even doctors struggle to identify the cause. Hence, ‘Warrior Moms’ have urged the minister to issue an advisory to doctors to consider children’s exposure to air pollution while diagnosing illnesses. Young children cannot stay indoors without play; even when mothers make them wear masks, they cough all day long. Their lungs are being affected, making it difficult for them to go to school.”
Criticising the BJP’s governance, Preeti Dogra said, “The BJP has doubled parking charges for all vehicles in Delhi, directly burdening the pockets of ordinary citizens. To hide its failures, the BJP is taking arbitrary and unreasonable decisions. Contractors are becoming richer, while poor citizens are being pushed to the streets. Garbage is lying everywhere and is not being cleared. Toxic gases are being released from wet waste, worsening pollution further. The BJP’s four-engine government has failed on almost every front — sanitation, pollution, and education among others. We appeal to the BJP — stop punishing Delhi’s citizens and stop looting their pockets. Find real solutions that reduce pollution and clean the air.”
