Prashant Waikar, Senior Analyst at RSIS, wrote about how celebrations for Diwali, which is among the most important Hindu festivals in India, have become politically contentious. Mr Waikar elaborated: “The National Green Tribunal (NGT), a body empowered to fast-track cases concerning environmental issues, has announced a mix of bans and restrictions on the use of fireworks in cities deemed to have poor air quality. Fireworks are a staple in Diwali celebrations.”

…Prashant Waikar is a Senior Analyst in the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU).