Slogans like “Saaf pani dena hoga,” “Saaf hawa dena hoga,” and “Jungle bechna band karo” echoed through the air as people rallied against the alarming pollution levels in the city.
Delhiites on Sunday took to the streets to protest against the rising air pollution, demanding urgent government action and concrete policies to tackle the worsening situation in the national capital.
A large group of residents gathered at India Gate, which itself was shrouded in a thick layer of haze. The protesters demanded that the government formulate effective measures to curb air pollution in the National Capital Region.
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Slogans like “Saaf pani dena hoga,” “Saaf hawa dena hoga,” and “Jungle bechna band karo” echoed through the air as people rallied against the alarming pollution levels in the city.
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The protesters were later detained by the police. As the police pushed the agitators into a bus, some raised slogans of “Delhi Police down down.”
Speaking to reporters, a female protester objected to the way the police treated women who were part of the demonstration.
Following the police action, the Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the Rekha Gupta-led BJP government, questioning whether demanding clean air had become a crime.
Delhi Police detained several protesters at India Gate who were demanding urgent government action and concrete policies to tackle worsening air pollution in the National Capital Region.#DelhiAirPollution #DelhiPolice #NCRPollutionCrisis #AirQuality #EnvironmentalAction… pic.x.com/uSGfP0Bk0T
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) November 9, 2025
“Embarrassing pictures have emerged from Delhi’s India Gate — peaceful protesters demanding clean air have been detained by the Delhi Police! Is demanding clean air now a crime, Rekha Gupta?” the AAP said in a statement.
The party alleged that the BJP government was suppressing voices demanding clean air instead of taking steps to control pollution.
AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar, who joined the protesters at India Gate, accused the government of manipulating Air Quality Index (AQI) data.
“The BJP sprayed water on AQI monitors so that pollution figures appear lower. The BJP is tampering with data. This is damaging both the party’s reputation and credibility,” Kakkar alleged.
Criticizing BJP leaders, she added, “Instead of joining the protesters at India Gate, they are sitting at home with air purifiers installed. The BJP must understand that air and water are not political subjects but questions of life.”
The protest came as air quality levels in the national capital further deteriorated to the severe category on Sunday.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 391 under the very poor category, bordering on severe at 3 p.m. It slightly improved to 365 by 5 p.m.
Experts say that breathing air in areas where the AQI falls under the severe category is equivalent to smoking 16 to 20 cigarettes a day.
At 9 p.m. on Sunday, AQI.in reported PM10 and PM2.5 levels of 262 micrograms per cubic metre and 200 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively.
Meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking to declare air pollution a “National Public Health Emergency.”
Filed by Luke Christopher Coutinho, wellness champion for the Prime Minister’s Fit India Movement, the PIL seeks the top court’s direction to frame a time-bound National Action Plan and ensure its immediate implementation.
Calling the air pollution crisis a direct threat to public health and environmental safety, the PIL stated, “The situation has reached a point where over 1.4 billion people are forced to inhale toxic air every single day.”
The plea also pointed out that levels of PM2.5 and PM10 in major Indian cities, including Delhi, have consistently exceeded the limits prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
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