Yogi Adityanath backs Diwali firecrackers, slams Opposition silence on 'systemic pollution'
Synopsis
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath went beyond defending Diwali firecrackers — he reframed the entire pollution debate as political hypocrisy, asking why opponents who stayed silent on 'systemic corruption' before 2017 suddenly found their voice over one day of festival smoke. Speaking at a 1,000-job appointment ceremony in Lucknow, he confirmed the BJP government deliberately chose not to ban fireworks.
Key Takeaways
UP CM Yogi Adityanath publicly backed Diwali firecrackers on 11 November 2026 , confirming the BJP government imposed no restrictions.
He said any pollution from fireworks 'will also dissipate' and criticised opponents for ignoring what he called 'systemic wrongdoing' by previous governments.
Adityanath confirmed he personally participated in fireworks at Ayodhya during Diwali .
He alleged that before 2017 , communal riots preceded every major festival in Uttar Pradesh .
He also claimed fraudulent 'Munna Bhai' proxy candidates received government appointment letters before 2017 .
The remarks were made at an event distributing letters to more than 1,000 newly recruited Revenue department junior assistants in Lucknow .
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, publicly endorsed the bursting of firecrackers during Diwali celebrations and sharply criticised political opponents for raising an alarm over festival-related air pollution while staying silent on what he called 'systemic wrongdoing' by previous governments. The remarks came during an appointment letter distribution ceremony in Lucknow, where he handed over letters to more than 1,000 newly recruited junior assistants in the Revenue department.
What Adityanath Said
'If the people set off fireworks, many raised an alarm over air pollution. If it has happened, it will also dissipate,' the Chief Minister told the audience. He went further, questioning why similar concern was never directed at those who, in his words, 'polluted the entire system with their misdeeds.'
The Chief Minister also confirmed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttar Pradesh government had deliberately chosen not to impose any restrictions on firecrackers so that citizens could celebrate the festival 'wholeheartedly', even if that resulted in a temporary rise in pollution levels. 'We decided not to impose any prohibitions. I, too, was in the middle of fireworks in Ayodhya,' he remarked.
Attack on Previous Governments
Adityanath used the occasion to contrast the current law-and-order situation with what he described as a volatile pre-2017 era. He claimed that before the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, communal riots would break out in the lead-up to festivals — including Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Janmashtami, Shivratri, Christmas, Eid, Guru Purab, and Makar Sankranti.
He also alleged that fraudulent practices were rampant in government recruitment before his administration. '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.
Context: The National Debate on Firecrackers
Adityanath's remarks arrive amid a raging national debate on banning firecrackers in the interest of urban air quality. Several cities — including Delhi — have periodically imposed restrictions around Diwali, citing dangerous spikes in PM2.5 and PM10 levels. Critics argue that one-day celebrations contribute meaningfully to already-stressed airshed conditions, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The Chief Minister framed the criticism as politically selective, comparing the 'hue and cry' over one day of festivities to what he characterised as silence over systemic corruption under earlier dispensations.
Significance of the Event
The appointment letter ceremony underscored the BJP government's repeated messaging around transparent and merit-based recruitment — a theme Adityanath has used consistently since 2017. By using the event as a platform to also address the firecracker controversy, the Chief Minister effectively linked governance credibility with cultural freedom, a framing his party has deployed ahead of several state electoral cycles. The forward trajectory on the firecracker debate will depend on how other state governments and courts respond to post-Diwali air quality data in the coming weeks.
Point of View
He is consolidating a narrative that any restriction on festival practice is an attack on the majority. That framing is electorally effective but sidesteps a genuine public health question: the Indo-Gangetic Plain already has some of the world's worst air quality, and post-Diwali spikes in UP cities are well-documented. The Chief Minister's 'it will dissipate' argument is scientifically thin. What mainstream coverage is missing is that the UP government's no-ban decision also puts it at odds with court directions that have been applied selectively, raising a rule-of-law question alongside the public health one.
NationPress
11 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Yogi Adityanath say about Diwali firecrackers and pollution?
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on 11 November 2026 that if people set off fireworks and pollution resulted, 'it will also dissipate.' He defended the BJP government's decision not to impose any ban on firecrackers so citizens could celebrate Diwali 'wholeheartedly.'
Did the Uttar Pradesh government ban firecrackers for Diwali 2026?
No. Adityanath confirmed the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government chose not to impose any restrictions or prohibitions on firecrackers for Diwali 2026, in contrast to some other states and cities that have enforced periodic bans.
Why did Yogi Adityanath criticise the Opposition over the pollution debate?
He argued that opponents who raised an alarm over Diwali air pollution had stayed silent when previous governments allegedly 'polluted the entire system with their misdeeds.' He framed the criticism as politically selective and hypocritical.
What allegations did Adityanath make about recruitment before 2017?
Adityanath claimed that before the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, proxy candidates — referred to as 'Munna Bhais' — appeared in government examinations while others received the appointment letters, calling it widespread fraud in the recruitment process.
Where did Yogi Adityanath make these remarks?
The Chief Minister made these remarks in Lucknow on 11 November 2026, during an appointment letter distribution programme where he handed over letters to more than 1,000 newly recruited junior assistants in the Revenue department.
