Delhi was choking on Diwali night. Where was the Union Cabinet?
From Sikkim's border outposts to Saudi Arabia's Jeddah, several members of the Modi government were away from the national capital as Delhi recorded its most polluted Diwali in five years. Their whereabouts raise a larger question about political accountability and the city's recurring pollution crisis.
On November 8, 2026, Delhi celebrated Diwali under a thick blanket of smog. Firecrackers lit up the night sky, but the celebrations came with an increasingly familiar consequence: deteriorating air quality. By the evening, the capital was struggling with pollution levels that raised fresh concerns about public health. Meanwhile, several members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Union Cabinet were celebrating the festival in different parts of India and abroad.
From Sikkim and Madhya Pradesh to Assam, Rajasthan and Saudi Arabia, ministers were spread across different locations. Some were attending official engagements, others were spending time with their families, and a few were participating in public celebrations.
Their whereabouts became a subject of public discussion as Delhi recorded its most polluted Diwali in five years. But beyond the geographical distance between the ministers and the capital, the episode raises a more important question: when Delhi's air becomes a public health concern every winter, who takes political responsibility for finding a lasting solution?
Delhi's Diwali pollution: What happened?
The numbers offered little comfort to Delhi's residents.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 376 at 4 pm on November 8. This was the highest Diwali-day reading in five years.
The situation remained concerning after sunset. At 10 pm, the AQI stood at 371, while 20 monitoring stations reportedly recorded pollution levels in the severe category at different points during the night.
On November 9, the morning after Diwali, the city's AQI was still around 371 at 10 am. Several neighbourhoods experienced even worse conditions.
It is important to understand the numbers. Under India's national AQI classification, a reading between 301 and 400 falls under the 'very poor' category, while 401 to 500 is classified as 'severe'. Therefore, although Delhi's overall average was in the very poor category, individual monitoring stations recorded severe pollution.
There were also concerns about the reliability of the monitoring data. An analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found that more than 20 monitoring stations stopped reporting data during parts of the peak pollution period. This raised questions about whether the official figures captured the full extent of the pollution.
The immediate reasons included firecracker emissions, but Delhi's pollution cannot be explained by Diwali alone. Vehicle emissions, construction dust, industrial activities, biomass burning and agricultural residue burning in neighbouring states all contribute to the problem. Unfavourable winter weather conditions can further trap pollutants close to the ground.
In other words, the festival intensified an existing crisis rather than creating it from scratch.
Where were the Union ministers?
While Delhi was dealing with deteriorating air quality, public records and ministers' social media updates placed several members of the Union government elsewhere.
Here is what was publicly reported about their Diwali engagements.
1. Rajnath Singh: Celebrating with soldiers in Sikkim
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh travelled to Sherathang, near Nathu La in Sikkim, where he celebrated Diwali with Indian Army personnel stationed in the high-altitude border region.
He also paid tribute to fallen soldiers at a war memorial. Singh highlighted the contribution of armed forces personnel who remain deployed at the borders while the rest of the country celebrates festivals with their families.
His visit was part of the tradition of senior political leaders celebrating Diwali with security personnel.
2. Kiren Rijiju: In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju was in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 8, attending discussions related to Haj arrangements.
He also shared footage of Diwali celebrations at India House in Jeddah. However, the social media posts did not establish precisely when those celebrations took place.
His presence in Saudi Arabia was connected to an official engagement rather than simply a holiday visit.
3. Shivraj Singh Chouhan: In Bhopal
Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan celebrated Diwali in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
He shared details of planting a sapling at Smart City Park on the occasion. However, Bhopal was not entirely free from pollution either. The city's AQI was reported to be around 314 on Sunday evening, placing it in the very poor category.
4. Sarbananda Sonowal: At home in Assam
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal celebrated Diwali at his residence in Dibrugarh, Assam.
He shared pictures of lighting diyas at home. Air quality readings in parts of Assam were considerably lower than those recorded in Delhi.
5. Amit Shah: In Ahmedabad
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spent Diwali night at his residence in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
However, the celebrations did not necessarily mean that Ahmedabad had clean air. Some reported readings in the city crossed 500 during the festivities.
6. Arjun Ram Meghwal: With family in Bikaner
Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal performed Diwali puja with his family at his residence in Bikaner, Rajasthan.
Rajasthan also experienced pollution spikes during the festive period, with some reported readings reaching around 400.
7. Pankaj Chaudhary: In Gorakhpur
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary celebrated Diwali with his family in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
The city's AQI was reported to be around 333, placing it in the very poor category.
8. Raksha Khadse: With farm labourers in Maharashtra
Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse was in Kothali village in Muktainagar, Maharashtra.
She reportedly celebrated Diwali with families of agricultural labourers, taking the festival to a rural community.
9. Pralhad Joshi: In Hubballi
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who handles Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, among other portfolios, was in Hubballi, Karnataka.
These were among the ministers whose locations and celebrations were publicly reported. They do not constitute a complete account of every Cabinet member's whereabouts.
What about the Prime Minister?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spent part of Diwali with security personnel in Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
His visit continued the tradition of celebrating the festival with personnel serving in challenging conditions.
Bastar's estimated AQI was around 138 on November 8, considerably lower than Delhi's reported average.
The Prime Minister's visit, like the Defence Minister's engagement in Sikkim, was connected to celebrating the festival with security personnel.
The bigger question: Who is accountable for Delhi's air?
The geographical distribution of ministers is only one part of the story. The more significant issue is the recurring nature of Delhi's pollution crisis.
Air pollution in the capital is not the responsibility of one ministry or one government alone. It involves the Union government, the Delhi government, neighbouring state governments, municipal authorities and multiple enforcement agencies.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has an important policy and regulatory role. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) coordinates pollution-control measures across Delhi-NCR and neighbouring areas.
The government has also acknowledged that Delhi's pollution is a combination of local emissions and pollution travelling across state boundaries. A 2026 expert assessment considered by CAQM identified fine particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, as a major concern.
This makes the problem more complicated than simply restricting firecrackers for two hours on Diwali night.
It requires year-round action on transport emissions, industrial pollution, construction dust, waste burning and agricultural residue management. It also requires coordination between governments that often operate under different political administrations.
The question, therefore, is not whether every Union minister should have spent Diwali physically present in Delhi. Ministers have official responsibilities, personal commitments and the freedom to celebrate the festival wherever they choose.
But when the national capital repeatedly experiences dangerous pollution levels, citizens have a legitimate interest in knowing what their governments are doing about it.
The absence of ministers from Delhi on one particular evening does not establish that they were indifferent to the crisis. Equally, celebrating Diwali elsewhere does not answer questions about the government's preparedness, pollution-control measures or long-term policy.
Delhi's air does not become a political concern only when the AQI crosses 400 or when the city disappears behind a blanket of smog.
The festival ended, but the pollution remained. And while the diyas were extinguished across the country, millions of Delhi residents were left dealing with the same question that returns every winter: how much longer will breathing clean air remain a seasonal privilege rather than a basic expectation?
