Bengal BJP MLA says firecrackers cure diseases, and the internet reacts

A video of a Bengal lawmaker praising firecrackers as a cure for illness has gone viral. And it landed right when Kolkata is worrying about its air.

What happened?

BJP MLA Papiya Adhikari, an actor-turned-politician, was inaugurating a Kali Puja programme in her constituency on Saturday. "We will burst firecrackers as per the directives issued by the police," she said. "And you know, bursting firecrackers also helps in curing many diseases."

The clip soon spread online and set off a row in the state.

Why is everyone talking about it?

Timing is the big reason. On Diwali, Kolkata's average Air Quality Index (AQI) was 301, which falls in the 'very poor' category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (India's national pollution regulator). The city is still dealing with concerns about air quality, noise and public health after the festival.

Against that backdrop, social media users got sarcastic. One wrote that firecrackers could simply be rebranded as medicine "when healthcare becomes expensive," adding that nothing builds a vote bank like mixing "blind faith with bad science." Another joked: "Next, they will prescribe AQI 500 as immunity boosters."

Who is Papiya Adhikari?

She joined the BJP in 2021 and contested that year's West Bengal Assembly election, but lost. Her breakthrough came in the 2026 Assembly polls, when she won the Tollygunge seat by defeating heavyweight Trinamool Congress candidate Aroop Biswas.

What's next?

For now, the story is the video and the reaction to it. The reports so far do not mention any response from Adhikari to the criticism. With Kolkata's air still in focus after Diwali, the remark is likely to stay part of the pollution debate for a while.