Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Delhi's Environment Minister, faces mounting criticism over his handling of air pollution despite the BJP government's promises to curb it. The 52-year-old politician, who joined the BJP in 2021 after leaving the Shiromani Akali Dal, holds one of the most scrutinized positions in the Delhi Cabinet. His tenure has been marked by controversies including reversing a fuel ban on old vehicles, managing the Diwali firecracker ban, and leading a cloud-seeding experiment that failed to produce rain. Opposition parties, particularly AAP, have accused his ministry of pollution data fraud and inadequate enforcement. Sirsa has defended his actions by blaming AAP-ruled Punjab for stubble burning, though data showed farm fires were at their lowest. A former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Sirsa won the 2025 Assembly elections from Rajouri Garden and became a Cabinet minister overseeing Environment, Industries, and Food & Supplies. He is the second richest MLA in the Vidhan Sabha with assets close to Rs 260 crore. His appointment reflects the BJP's outreach to Sikh voters in Delhi and Punjab.
Controversies Mark Environmental Policy Decisions
Sirsa's ministry has faced several setbacks since taking charge. In July, the government reversed a fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles within days of implementation, citing a non-functional identification system and concerns about affecting families' livelihoods. During Diwali, despite Supreme Court restrictions limiting fireworks to specific time slots on October 19 and 20, violations were widespread. Post-festival analysis by Climate Trends revealed pollution levels were the highest in five years. Sirsa's ministry was further criticized when AQI data went missing for multiple hours between 11 pm and 5 am after Diwali night. His cloud-seeding experiment this week also failed to produce rain, forcing the government to abandon a second trial on Wednesday.
Political Journey from Akali Dal to BJP
Sirsa's political career began in 2013 when he won Rajouri Garden as an Akali Dal candidate with BJP support. After losing in 2015, he recaptured the seat in a 2017 bypoll. Originally a bitter critic of the BJP during the 2020 farm law protests, he joined the party a year later as it sought a credible Sikh face for Punjab elections. He served twice as president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. In August 2023, the BJP appointed him national general secretary. He won Rajouri Garden again in the 2025 elections that brought BJP to power after 27 years, and was elevated to Cabinet minister managing Environment, Industries, and Food & Supplies portfolios.
Source: Link