Delhi clean air protest: Several detained as anger mounts over toxic air

Hundreds of residents, including children, staged a peaceful protest on Man Singh Road near India Gate on Sunday (November 9), demanding urgent government action as Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) hit 370 in the “very poor” category. Holding placards reading “Smog se Azadi” and “Breathing is killing me”, citizens decried the capital’s worsening pollution and alleged government inaction.

Also read | Delhi’s air quality nears ‘severe’ mark as pollution crosses 400 in several areas

“This is a health emergency, not a blame game. Trial-and-error has failed our children. The government must deliver a clean-air policy now,” said one protester. Another added, “The rich can buy purifiers or escape to the hills, but the rest of us fight to breathe every winter.”

Protesters question data integrity

Environmental activists and parents joined the demonstration, criticising both the Centre and Delhi government for “policy paralysis.” Jyothsna Singh, a protester, told NDTV that poor citizens like street vendors and auto drivers suffer most from vehicular emissions. “Without achieving at least 50% public transport modal share by 2030, as Beijing did, how can we expect change?” she asked.

Some participants questioned the reliability of official AQI data, alleging manipulation. “I’ve seen water sprayed near monitoring stations whenever pollution spikes. Is the data even real?” asked protester Prerna Mehra.

A 76-year-old man from Vasant Kunj said he feared for his grandchildren’s future as unchecked construction continued to erode Delhi’s green cover. “Governments change, but people suffer,” he said.

As the protest grew, Delhi police and paramilitary forces in riot gear detained several demonstrators, including children, despite the gathering remaining peaceful. Police cited Section 163 of the BNSS, which bans public assemblies near India Gate. DCP (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla called the detentions “preventive measures.”

Crackdown draws sharp criticism

Environmental activist Vimlendu Jha condemned the crackdown, saying, “Private monitors show AQI readings above 999 in parts of Delhi, yet instead of acting, authorities shut down peaceful protests. Citizens are only asking for their right to breathe.”

Organisers claimed they faced intense police pressure in the days leading up to the event, including repeated calls and threats of FIRs.

Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj called it a “non-political” protest, accusing pollution control bodies of “fudging data” to mask inaction. “Manipulating figures creates a trust deficit. That’s why citizens are on the streets,” he said.

Also read | To fight Delhi air pollution, CM announces staggered timings for govt offices

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Sirsa hit back, blaming AAP’s decade-long rule for the crisis. “We’re cleaning up the mess AAP created — deploying smog guns, electric buses, and industrial monitoring. But they’ve poisoned Delhi’s air for ten years,” he said.

Rahul slams protest detentions

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the government after several protesters were detained at India Gate even as he asked why citizens peacefully demanding clean air were being treated like “criminals”.

Rahul called for decisive action on air pollution "right now, instead of attacking citizens asking for clean air". He made the remarks on X in response to a post by environmentalist Vimlendu Jha, who said that protesters were "taken away" and "shoved in a bus".

Rahul said, "The right to clean air is a basic human right. The right to peaceful protest is guaranteed by our Constitution. Why are citizens who have been peacefully demanding clean air being treated like criminals?" Air pollution is affecting crores of Indians, harming our children and the future of our nation, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

But the government, which came to power through "vote chori" simply doesn't care, nor is it even attempting to solve this crisis, he said. "We need to take decisive action on air pollution right now instead of attacking citizens asking for clean air," he said.