'Citizens treated like criminals': Rahul Gandhi slams govt over detention of protesters demanding clean air in Delhi

People hold placards as they protest against the worsening air quality in the national capital, at the India Gate, in New Delhi, Sunday, November 9, 2025. (Image: PTI)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday slammed the government after several people protesting at India Gate against the worsening air quality in Delhi were detained for assembling without permission and asked why citizens peacefully demanding clean air were being treated like "criminals".

Gandhi called for decisive action on air pollution "right now, instead of attacking citizens asking for clean air".

He made the remarks on X in response to a post by environmentalist Vimlendu Jha, who said that protesters were "taken away" and "shoved in a bus".

Scores of people, including parents and environmental activists, staged a protest at India Gate on Sunday against the worsening air quality in the national capital.

According to police, several protesters were detained for assembling without permission.

Gandhi said, "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?" Air pollution is affecting crores of Indians, harming our children and the future of our nation, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

But the government, which came to power through "vote chori" simply doesn't care, nor is it even attempting to solve this crisis, Gandhi said.

"We need to take decisive action on air pollution right now instead of attacking citizens asking for clean air," he said.

The protesters, many of them mothers accompanied by children, said they had gathered to demand urgent government action to ensure clean air.

New Delhi district DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla said, "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. 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."

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar on Monday alleged that the ruling BJP government got water sprinkled on AQI monitors to lower the readings.

Kakkar demanded that the government formulate policies to curb air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region as she joined the protests at India Gate.

Speaking to ANI, Priyanka Kakkar said, "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."

She further stated that when the AAP government was in power in the national capital, they worked 365 days on all aspects.

"BJP is running away from accountability. It is living in denial and playing with our health. If CM Rekha Gupta had been serious about pollution, she would have addressed citizens on the steps being taken to curb pollution," she added.

A resident of Delhi said that this is not a political issue.

A resident of Delhi, Neha, said, "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 violation of Article 21 our right to life. 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 into buses. This is also violation of Article 19. This isn't a political matters. It's about clean air."

The air quality in the national capital plunged into the 'severe' category on Sunday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 391 at 7 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Several parts of the city registered alarming pollution levels with AQI readings crossing the 400-mark.

As per CPCB data, Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 412, Alipur reported 415, and Bawana registered the highest level at 436. Chandni Chowk recorded an AQI of 409, while RK Puram and Patparganj logged 422 and 425, respectively. Sonia Vihar also recorded a 'severe' AQI of 415, indicating hazardous air conditions across the city.

Since Diwali, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) has been reeling under the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories in several areas, even as Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) remains in effect.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has already announced the doubling of parking fees across the national capital after the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage II was invoked due to deteriorating air quality.

According to CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.

With agency inputs