Diwali cracker ban aimed at hurting sentiments: Swadeshi Jagaran Manch

The Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM) has opposed the ban on Diwali firecrackers announced by some state governments, including Delhi.

The RSS affiliate has termed the move “unscientific,” “a blow to the employment of millions,” and aimed at “hurting sentiments.” According to the organisation, only Chinese firecrackers caused pollution and these have been banned. Indian firecrackers do not cause much pollution, it claimed.

“False propaganda”

“The Swadeshi Jagaran Manch strongly opposes the complete ban on firecrackers by the government of NCT of Delhi during Diwali, which is inappropriate and aimed at hurting sentiments, apart from causing a blow to the employment of millions of workers and others engaged in the production and distribution of firecrackers in the country,” the SJM said in a statement.

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The organisation has urged states to avoid a complete ban on firecrackers based on “false propaganda.” According to it, the “pollution caused by firecrackers was primarily due to illegally imported firecrackers from China and not the green crackers of India.”

Pollution (happened) due to “the mixing of potassium nitrate and sulphur in Chinese firecrackers,” it said. “However, in green (pollution-free) firecrackers made in India today, potassium nitrate and sulphur are not mixed. Other pollutants, such as aluminium, lithium, arsenic, and mercury, etc., have been reduced to the minimum. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute certify these green firecrackers,” the statement said.

“Real culprit stubble burning”

According to the SJM, it has been “scientifically proven” that green crackers cause 30 per cent less pollution. It further argued that while the Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab governments had failed to curb stubble burning, they were misguiding people by ordering a ban on firecrackers.

“It is a matter of great regret that government agencies have failed to solve the problem of stubble burning in various parts of the country, including Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi. It has been proven without a doubt that stubble burning remains the biggest source of air pollution in the national capital and surrounding northern states. On Diwali, they try to misguide people by focusing on banning firecrackers, diverting attention from the real cause of pollution,” the organisation claimed.

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The SJM has urged all state governments to find a permanent solution to pollution caused by stubble burning. It also underlined that Supreme Court had in an order already permitted firecrackers on Diwali, keeping in view traditions and livelihoods of lakhs of people engaged in cracker production.

“Employment at stake”

“We should not forget that in Tamil Nadu (Sivakasi), West Bengal, and many other parts of the country, the livelihoods of more than one million people depend on the firecracker industry. Throughout the year, these people wait for Diwali to sell their firecrackers. In such a situation, it is imprudent to ban green firecrackers, which are much less polluting,” it said.

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The decision of the Delhi government and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to ban even green crackers is “highly deplorable, as it is not only arbitrary, anti-people, bereft of any scientific basis, but it is also hurting sentiments,” the organisation claimed.

“Swadeshi Jagran Manch also urges Delhi Police to come clear on whether they will follow the arbitrary orders of the Delhi government of arresting the citizens of Delhi if found in possession of firecrackers or lighting them,” it added.

(With agency inputs)