As Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) touched 391 on Sunday, with most of the monitoring stations recording “severe” levels, people gathered at India Gate to demand “clean air” from the government. The protesters, carrying placards, were later moved to Kartavya Path, before being detained by police to disperse the demonstration.

New Delhi district DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla defended the detentions, stating that India Gate is not a designated “protest site”. He explained that the Supreme Court has identified Jantar Mantar as the approved location for demonstrations.

“India Gate is not a protest site. The designated protest site in New Delhi is Jantar Mantar, as per the Supreme Court’s directions. That is why we have advised everyone to follow the guidelines,” he said. 

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The DCP added, “At India Gate, people come along with their families to enjoy, and it is a national monument. There are VIP routes here; we are deployed here regularly.”

Opposition condemns police action

The police action on the protestors stoked a controversy, with political leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, and Aaditya Thackeray, accusing the government of silencing peaceful protesters instead of tackling pollution.

‘Citizens being treated like criminals’: Rahul Gandhi

While responding to a video shared by environmentalist Vimlendu Jha, Rahul Gandhi wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that peaceful citizens were being treated like “criminals”. 

“The right to clean air is a basic human right. The right to peaceful protest is guaranteed by our Constitution,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on X (formerly Twitter), before asking, “Why are citizens who have been peacefully demanding clean air being treated like criminals?”

He went on to add that air pollution is harming millions, especially children, and blamed the government for inaction. 

“Air pollution is affecting crores of Indians, harming our children and the future of our nation. 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 to take decisive action on air pollution right now instead of attacking citizens asking for clean air,” he further said. 

‘Govt failing miserably in its Kartavya’: Jairam Ramesh

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh also hit out at the government, saying it was “failing miserably in its Kartavya (duty)”.

“The iconic India Gate is on Kartavya Path – so named by the PM himself. The citizens of Delhi who are protesting for better air quality are only wanting to carry out their own Kartavya under Article 51-A (g) of the Constitution of India, which mandates them ‘to protect and improve the natural environment….’,” he wrote on X. 

The senior Congress leader asked, “So why are they being prevented by the Delhi Police from registering their desperate concern at the atrocious air quality where they live and work?”

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He went on to say that the citizens are fulfilling their Kartavya at a time when the government is “failing miserably” at it. 

‘The largest democracy in the world’: Aaditya Thackeray’s swipe

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray condemned the detentions, calling it shameful that citizens were “arrested” just for “ demanding clean air”. 

“Citizens arrested for demanding Clean Air in the National Capital. Anti-riot RAF also seen tackling people simply asking for better policies against pollution,” he wrote while resharing a video from news agency ANI. 

He took a swipe at the government, saying, “‘The largest democracy in the world’, anyone?”

‘Arrest pollution, not people’: CPI (ML)

The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation also condemned the arrests, saying the government should “arrest pollution, not people”. 

The Youth Wing of the Indian National Congress (IYC) also responded to the citizens being detained by the police. “India Gate is a battlefield today. On one side, the people fighting toxic air, on the other side, the government hiding its failures,” it wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 

The IYC added, “The arrest of those demanding clean air is the latest example of RSS-BJP’s policy of suppression. The people will not bow down. We condemn these arrests.”

Govt downplaying pollution data

Priyanka Kakkar alleged that the government was manipulating air quality data to downplay pollution levels. 

“The BJP got water to be sprinkled on AQI monitors to lower the readings. The BJP is manipulating the data. This lowers the BJP’s integrity and credibility. Even the BJP people should be here with us, but they are sitting at home with their air purifiers. The BJP needs to understand that the air and water are not a matter of politics,” he told ANI.  

Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj welcomed the “non-political” protest on one of the pressing issues raised by the people. 

“This protest has been called by some members of civil society, and we are glad that a non-political protest has been organised on an issue like pollution. Many well-educated and knowledgeable people have joined it,” he told PTI.

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He alleged that people have lost faith in institutions such as the DPCC, CPCB, and IMD, accusing them of fudging data. Bharadwaj added, “…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. When a government itself tampers with data, it creates a trust deficit and that’s why the intellectual community has taken to the streets today. That’s what is alarming.”

South African cricket coach Jonty Rhodes also shared his thoughts on the alarming pollution levels, expressing relief at living away from Delhi’s smog. “Passing through Delhi en route to Ranchi this evening, and as always, it’s hard to digest the low levels of air quality here. Am grateful to be living in a small fishing village in South Goa,” he wrote on X with a hashtag asking “What’s to be done?”

India Gate protest: What are people demanding?

Protestors, including environmental activists, youth, and civil society members, said their only demand was that the Delhi government make clean air a priority. Protestors were also holding several placards. Many carried placards reading “Dear CM, Smog Is Not a Season”, “Smog se Azadi!” and “Kids Cannot Be Replaced, Ministers Can!”

A resident of Delhi, Neha, told ANI, “We have only one issue, and that’s clean air. This problem has been going on for years, but no action is being taken. It’s a violation of our constitutional rights. We’ve been struggling with this for 10 years. No one cares about the health and rights of citizens. This is a violation of Article 21, our right to life.”

She added that people were being detained even during peaceful protests. “We don’t have clean air to breathe. I don’t understand what we’re waiting for, and why we’re not taking action. Peaceful protests are going on here, but people are being dragged and detained in buses. This is also a violation of Article 19. This isn’t a political matter. It’s about clean air.”

Another protester told PTI that private monitors showed AQI levels crossing 999 in some areas. “Private monitors show that the air quality index has crossed 999 at several locations. Instead of taking concrete action, authorities are shutting down a peaceful protest. What are people asking for? Their right to breathe. For the last 15 days, we haven’t heard anything – no lockdown, no shutdown. There are only stories about cloud seeding or other distractions. It’s a very unfortunate situation.”

Delhi AQI today

The AQI in Delhi remained in the “very poor” category on Monday, with a few stations falling into “severe” levels.

According to the data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 8, the air quality across most parts of Delhi remained in the “very poor” category, with a few locations slipping into “severe” levels. Bawana recorded the highest AQI at 412, placing it in the “severe” range. Areas such as Anand Vihar (379), Burari Crossing (389), ITO (375), Nehru Nagar (387), and Rohini (390) reported “very poor” air quality. Stations including DTU (286), IHBAS Dilshad Garden (227), Lodhi Road (236), and NSIT Dwarka (218) registered slightly better readings in the “poor” category.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Sirsa blamed the previous AAP government for the capital’s deteriorating air quality, alleging that it had “poisoned” Delhi’s air and water. He added that the Rekha Gupta government is now “working on a war footing” to address the crisis.

Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has not yet been enforced in Delhi, even though air pollution levels have entered the hazardous range. GRAP Stage 3 is typically activated when the AQI crosses 400. In Grap-3, there is a ban on older vehicles, construction and demolition are halted, among other measures. 

In recent days, Delhi’s AQI has remained well above the 300 mark. However, authorities have opted not to implement Stage 3, citing revised guidelines and the claim that current Stage 2 restrictions are already more rigorous than before. For now, Stage 1 and 2 measures remain in force, even as environmental experts and citizens urge the government to impose tougher controls amid the worsening smog.