Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 10: Scores of residents, parents, and children gathered near India Gate on Sunday, holding placards that read “Smog se Azadi” and “Breathing is killing me”, as Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) touched 370 — firmly in the “very poor” category.
“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 a protester, echoing the frustration shared by hundreds braving the toxic haze.
“The rich can buy air purifiers or flee to the hills, but what about us? We have to fight every winter just to breathe,” said another protester, waving a handmade banner reading, “Hawa sarkari nahi, sabka hai” — air isn’t government property, it belongs to everyone.
Jyothsna Singh, one of the protesters, told NDTV that the urban poor suffer the most. “Street vendors and auto drivers face the brunt of emissions from state buses and autos, which make up nearly 80% of road pollution. Without achieving at least a 50% public transport share like Beijing did by 2030, blaming citizens achieves nothing,” she said.
A Delhi University student said, “Every winter I cough blood, yet the government keeps blaming Punjab farmers or the previous regime. Why not invest in clean alternatives instead of finger-pointing?”
Many protesters questioned the credibility of official pollution data. “Is the AQI even true anymore?” asked Prerna Mehra. “We’ve seen videos of water being sprayed near monitoring stations to lower readings. Is someone faking numbers or wasting water?”
A 76-year-old man from Vasant Kunj said, “Governments change, but people suffer. Construction goes on unchecked, green cover is vanishing. I worry for my grandchildren.” Nearby, a young child held up a placard that read, “I want to stay in Delhi with my friends and go to school! Help us breathe.”
A doctor among the protesters warned that “every third child in Delhi already has damaged lungs,” adding that long-term exposure causes heart disease, stroke, and asthma. “It starts in the womb and haunts us for life. The WHO says it’s preventable, but where’s the action?”
Several protesters expressed anger over failed pollution-control measures. “We had hopes from the double-engine sarkar, but after the failed cloud seeding trial, we feel betrayed as AQI keeps rising,” one said.
As the protest intensified, Delhi Police and paramilitary forces moved in, detaining several demonstrators — including children — despite the protest remaining peaceful. “We sought an appointment with the Chief Minister but were refused. This is about clean air, not politics,” said environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari, who led the rally.
Organisers alleged police pressure in the lead-up to the protest, including repeated calls from senior officers and threats of FIRs. DCP (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla described the detentions as “preventive measures.”
Environmental activist Vimlendu Jha condemned the crackdown, saying, “Private monitors show AQI above 999 in some areas. Instead of acting, authorities shut down peaceful protests. For 15 days, there’s been no lockdown, no emergency step — just distractions like cloud seeding.”
Police, however, cited law and order concerns. “No permission was granted for a protest at India Gate,” a senior officer said. DCP Mahla added that only Jantar Mantar is authorised for demonstrations under Section 163 of the BNSS.
AAP’s Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj termed the protest “non-political,” saying, “Major agencies like DPCC, CPCB, CAQM, and IMD are manipulating pollution data. When a government tampers with its own data, trust collapses — and that’s why citizens are on the streets.”
Responding to the criticism, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Sirsa accused AAP of misgovernance. “AAP ruled Delhi for ten years and poisoned its air with failed gimmicks like odd-even. In the last seven months, we’ve deployed smog guns, water sprinklers, monitored construction, and shifted all buses to electric. We are cleaning the mess they left behind,” he said.