New Delhi [India]: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday criticised the Central government for detaining citizens protesting against rising air pollution at Delhi’s India Gate, asserting that the right to clean air is a fundamental human right and peaceful demonstrators should not be treated like criminals.
In a post on X, Gandhi accused the BJP government of “vote chori” (electoral malpractice) and indifference toward the worsening pollution crisis, calling for urgent and decisive measures to protect the health and future of millions of Indians.
“The right to clean air is a basic human right. The right to peaceful protest is guaranteed by our Constitution. Why are citizens peacefully demanding clean air being treated like criminals? Air pollution is affecting crores of Indians, harming our children and the future of our nation,” Gandhi wrote.
He added, “But the government, which came to power through vote chori, simply doesn’t care, nor is it even attempting to solve this crisis. We need decisive action on air pollution now — not repression of citizens demanding clean air.”
Earlier in the day, Delhi Police detained several people who had gathered at India Gate demanding stronger policies to tackle pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR).
New Delhi District DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla explained, “India Gate is not a designated protest site. As per Supreme Court directions, Jantar Mantar is the approved protest location. India Gate is a national monument and a family recreation area with VIP routes; we have advised people to follow the guidelines.”
AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar, who joined the protest, alleged that the BJP government had “sprinkled water on AQI monitors” to artificially lower pollution readings.
“The BJP is manipulating air quality data to mislead the public. This undermines their credibility. Even BJP leaders should be here with us — this is about the air we all breathe, not politics,” Kakkar told ANI.
The national capital’s air quality remained in the ‘severe’ category on Sunday, with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recording an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 391 at 7 a.m. Several parts of Delhi reported even higher levels, with AQI readings exceeding the 400-mark.
