Lucknow, Nov 11 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday lent support to the bursting of firecrackers during Diwali celebrations and also called out the political opponents over 'meltdown' on its impact on pollution levels. "If the people set off fireworks, many raised an alarm over air pollution. If it has happened, it will also dissipate," the Chief Minister said, addressing the audience. Calling out Opposition's track record, Chief Minister Adityanath questioned as to why similar concern was not raised against those who "polluted the entire system with their misdeeds".

The Chief Minister also said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttar Pradesh government had decided against imposing any restrictions or prohibitions, so that people could celebrate the festival "wholeheartedly" even if it led to some rise in air pollution. "We decided not to impose any prohibitions. I, too, was in the middle of fireworks in Ayodhya," he remarked.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's endorsement of firecrackers for Diwali celebrations came during his address at an appointment letter distribution program, where he handed over letters to more than 1,000 newly recruited junior assistants in the Revenue department. The Chief Minister's comments came amid the raging national debate over the need and urgency to ban firecrackers for making the cities livable. He compared the criticism against one day of celebrations to what he termed "silence over systemic wrongdoing".

Slamming the previous dispensations, Chief Minister Adityanath said that before the BJP government formation in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, riots would break out beforehand even before the onstart of festivals like Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Janmashtami, Shivratri, Christmas, Eid, Guru Purab, or Makar Sankranti. He also said that 'Munna Bhais' operated in the government recruitment system, before 2017.

"Before 2017, 'Munna Bhais' were operating in the government and the recruitment process. One person would appear for the examination, while someone else would receive the appointment letter. Several such appointments took place before 2017," the Chief Minister claimed.

--IANS