Protesters Detained at India Gate Over Delhi’s Air Quality Crisis, Opposition Slams Govt

Dozens of citizens including parents, students, and activists were detained by the Delhi Police on Sunday after gathering at India Gate to protest against the deteriorating air quality in the national capital.

The protest, which began around 5 pm, saw participation from environmental campaigners and animal rights activists who also voiced opposition to the recent Supreme Court verdict concerning stray dogs. The demonstration took place amid a heavy police presence, with officers claiming the assembly was unauthorized.

Police Detain Protesters, Cite Traffic Obstruction

The Delhi Police later detained around 60 to 80 individuals, including members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and civil society. "Approximately 60-80 people were detained from both protests. We only detained those who were blocking the Mansingh Road and were not allowing people and vehicles to pass," said DCP (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla. He added that the group at Mansingh Road was led by Delhi AAP President Saurabh Bharadwaj.

"The rest, who were inside India Gate, were directed to leave and removed," Mahla said.

According to officials, permission for any demonstration at India Gate had been denied in advance. "For security and traffic reasons, protesters were asked to move their gathering to Jantar Mantar," stated Additional DCP Anand Kumar Mishra.

Environmental activist Vimlendu Jha, who was among those protesting, alleged that police detained children as well. "Even children are detained, who were only asking for their right to breathe," he posted on X, sharing a video of what appeared to be a scuffle between protesters and police. However, DCP Mahla denied these claims, saying, "No child has been detained."

Protesters Demand Political Action on Pollution

Many of those present accused the government of failing to take meaningful steps to address Delhi's air quality crisis. Protesters held placards reading "Right to Breathe" and "Clean Air for Children," urging authorities to act beyond what they called "token measures."

Saurabh Bharadwaj of AAP, who participated in the demonstration, said the issue of air pollution has persisted for more than a decade. "There is now a trust deficit among the people when it comes to the government. Major institutions like the DPCC, CPCB, CAQM, and IMD are fudging data and manipulating figures," Bharadwaj alleged. "When a government itself tampers with data, it creates a trust deficit and that is why the intellectual community has taken to the streets today."

Political War of Words Over Responsibility

The protest also reignited political confrontation between the ruling BJP and the AAP. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa blamed AAP for the current crisis, saying the city's environment suffered during its decade-long governance. "AAP has governed Delhi for ten years and poisoned its air and water, wasting money on gimmicks like the odd-even policy," said Sirsa. "In the last seven months under Rekha Gupta's leadership, we've deployed smog guns in high-rises, used water sprinklers for dust mitigation, monitored construction, notified 8,000 industries to control emissions, and transitioned all buses to electric. We're working on a war footing, but we cannot clear the air that AAP polluted in the last decade."

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the detention of peaceful protesters. "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?" Gandhi asked in a statement.

The incident has once again highlighted the growing frustration among Delhi's residents as the city remains engulfed in toxic smog, with air quality levels continuing to hover in the "severe" category for several consecutive days.