India, Oct. 22 -- Delhi's deteriorating air quality on Tuesday became a political slugfest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) each blaming the other for the crisis. Delhi woke up to a toxic haze the day after Diwali as firecrackers bursting continued overnight in violation of restrictions set by the Supreme Court last week.

At a press conference, Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the AAP-led government in Punjab was deliberately trying to increase air pollution in Delhi. "Over the past four days, stubble-burning incidents in Punjab have surged sharply - and this is no coincidence. Farmers are being pressured and provoked to burn stubble so that pollution in Delhi can be used politicall...