Delhi Pollution Protest: Residents Gather At India Gate Against Rising Pollution

🟢 News in Short (60 Words)

As Delhi’s AQI crossed 400, hundreds, including activists and opposition leaders, gathered at India Gate demanding action against worsening air pollution. Police detained several protesters citing Supreme Court restrictions on the site. Leaders like Prashant Bhushan, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Rahul Gandhi slammed the government for suppressing dissent instead of tackling the crisis. delhi pollution protest

📰 Full Story: delhi pollution protest

A day after Delhi officially entered the “red zone” for air pollution, hundreds of citizens, environmental activists, and opposition leaders marched towards India Gate demanding immediate government action. With several areas recording Air Quality Index (AQI) levels above 400, the capital’s air turned dangerously toxic, triggering widespread anger over official inaction. delhi pollution protest

The demonstration — which included participants from AAP, Congress, and multiple social organisations — called on both central and state governments to formulate long-term policies to combat the pollution emergency. Protesters held placards reading “We Want Justice” and “Clean Air Is Our Right”, urging authorities to act decisively as smog blanketed the city for a second straight week.

However, the protest was short-lived. Within half an hour, police began dispersing the crowd, detaining several demonstrators. Officers cited a Supreme Court directive that designates Jantar Mantar as New Delhi’s official protest site. delhi pollution protest

“India Gate is not a protest site. The designated protest site is Jantar Mantar, as per the Supreme Court’s directions. We advised everyone to follow the guidelines,”
said Devesh Kumar Mahla, a senior Delhi Police official, speaking to ANI. delhi pollution protest

The heavy-handed response drew sharp criticism from activists and opposition leaders present at the scene. Prashant Bhushan, senior Supreme Court advocate, condemned the crackdown, calling it “really unfortunate.”

“Organising peaceful protests is a fundamental right upheld by the Supreme Court several times. It is shameful that citizens demanding clean air are being treated like criminals,” Bhushan told.

Several demonstrators expressed frustration that authorities were focusing on optics rather than solutions. One protester told ANI, “They are sprinkling water at data centres; even the cloud-seeding didn’t work. We want a permanent solution. The public must wake up and demand accountability.” delhi pollution protest

The protest came amid growing public anger at the worsening smog, with residents complaining of sore throats, coughing, and breathlessness. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi’s average AQI remained above 420, placing it firmly in the “severe” category. delhi pollution protest

AAP’s Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, who also joined the demonstration, acknowledged that pollution has been a long-standing issue but alleged deliberate data manipulation by the BJP-led central government.

“Whenever there is a pollution peak, they stop recording data from AQI centres. The government is hiding the real figures. People have lost faith because there’s no transparency,”
Bharadwaj said, adding that intellectuals and professionals were taking to the streets for the first time, showing a growing “trust deficit.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi criticised the detentions and the government’s apathy.

“Why are citizens who are peacefully demanding clean air being treated like criminals?” Gandhi asked, alleging that the Modi government “simply doesn’t care” about pollution “affecting crores of Indians, harming children, and jeopardising our nation’s future.”

Environmentalists have also pointed to administrative failures, saying that measures like water sprinkling and odd-even traffic schemes are temporary fixes. Plans for artificial rain, once hailed as an emergency measure, have not materialised. Experts warn that without regional coordination on stubble burning, vehicular emissions, and construction dust, Delhi’s air will remain hazardous.

While the protests at India Gate were eventually quelled, the message from the capital’s citizens was unmistakable — they will no longer remain silent as the city gasps for breath. delhi pollution protest

Connect with us through social media