Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Praveen Khandelwal on Monday, 9 November said that business activity during this year's Diwali crossed approximately ₹7 lakh crore in turnover — a record, according to Khandelwal — which he attributed to accelerating economic momentum under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Record Festive Turnover

Khandelwal described the festive season as one of exceptional commercial energy. “Business activity across the country reached nearly ₹7 lakh crore, setting a record,” he said, characterising the figure as a reflection of the country’s growth trajectory. The claim has not been independently verified, and no government agency has yet released an official tally.

The MP also highlighted Prime Minister Modi’s decision to celebrate Diwali in Bastar, Chhattisgarh — a region historically associated with Naxal insurgency — alongside local residents and security personnel. Khandelwal called the visit “a symbol of positive change and renewed energy,” pointing to what he described as the eradication of Naxalism from the region.

Khandelwal Attacks Congress and AAP Over Pollution Row

Responding to remarks by Congress leader Alka Lamba on air pollution in Delhi during the festive period, Khandelwal turned his fire on both the Indian National Congress (Congress) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He alleged that opposition parties had developed a pattern of raising pollution concerns specifically around Sanatan Dharma festivals.

“It has become a trend among the Congress and other opposition parties to find faults with Sanatan festivals whenever they take place. They start talking about pollution,” he said. Khandelwal alleged that Congress governed Delhi for 15 years and AAP under Arvind Kejriwal for 10 years, and that during those combined 25 years “neither the Congress nor the AAP took even a single step” to address the capital’s pollution crisis. “The people of Delhi are bearing the consequences today,” he alleged. These are Khandelwal’s claims and represent the BJP’s political position; critics from both parties have disputed such characterisations in the past.

SP in the Crosshairs Over Controversial Remark

Khandelwal also targeted Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, referencing a reportedly controversial statement made by SP MP Sanatan Pandey. He argued that while Yadav was publicly visiting Ayodhya, a leader within his own party had made the remark — and that Yadav had maintained silence on it.

Khandelwal described this as an instance of “double standards” within the SP, adding that the opposition’s “reality was being exposed before the public.” The nature of Pandey’s statement was not detailed in available reports.

Political Context

The remarks come at a politically charged moment, with the BJP keen to frame the festive season’s commercial activity as a vindication of its economic policies. This is not the first time festive trade figures — typically compiled by industry bodies and trade associations rather than government statistics — have been cited by ruling-party leaders as a macroeconomic indicator. Critics argue such estimates are not audited and can overstate actual consumer spending.