India, Nov. 29 -- The Congress on Saturday raised concern over Delhi's worsening air quality and held both the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government responsible for what it described as a lax and ineffective response to the crisis. Calling the situation a "murder," Congress leader Sandeep Dixit said that addressing air pollution in the national Capital and neighbouring states is fundamentally a government duty, and that authorities cannot "escape by putting the blame on farmers and public."

Speaking at a press conference, Dixit urged both parties to prioritise public health over political battles. "You can do your politics later when the elections are around the corner. Pay some...