By Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Tuesday (December 23, 2025) wrote a strongly worded letter to former Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, holding the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government responsible for the severe air pollution crisis in the national capital.
In the 15-page letter, Mr. Saxena alleged that the AAP’s inaction over the past 11 years is the primary reason for the deteriorating air quality in Delhi. He accused Mr. Kejriwal of attempting to “unnecessarily bog down” the BJP-led government, which has been in power for the last 10 months, for “petty political gains.”
“There was no immediate response from the Aam Aadmi Party to the allegations,” sources said.
Allegations of Political Opportunism
Mr. Saxena said that despite suffering a crushing defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, Mr. Kejriwal and his party have failed to introspect and learn from the verdict. He accused the AAP of continuing to engage in “petty politics” and spreading misinformation on critical issues affecting the people of Delhi.
He further alleged that during its tenure, the AAP government routinely shifted blame to the then Punjab government and the Centre instead of taking concrete steps to tackle pollution.
“All that your government did was blame others. It never took effective measures to curb dust generation, which is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi,” the Lieutenant Governor wrote.
Claims of Governance Failures
Reiterating his charge, Mr. Saxena stated that the prolonged inaction of the AAP government over 11 years has directly contributed to the alarming pollution levels in the capital.
He also accused the previous government of discontinuing weekly cabinet meetings, claiming that crucial policy and administrative decisions were taken through circulation rather than discussion. According to him, this approach reflected the government’s “insensitivity” towards public concerns.
Yamuna Pollution Also Highlighted
The Lieutenant Governor also held the former AAP government responsible for the deteriorating condition of the Yamuna river and Delhi’s drainage system.
“Yamuna and the drains of Delhi suffered due to your apathy for 11 years. Year after year, claims of cleaning the Yamuna failed to translate into results,” Mr. Saxena wrote.
The letter adds a new dimension to the ongoing political confrontation in Delhi, with air pollution, governance, and environmental degradation emerging as key points of contention between the BJP-led administration and the Aam Aadmi Party.
