Indian Police Arrest Dozens Of Demonstrators Protest New Delhi Air Pollution

Air pollution Conditions in New Delhi India/UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION/Ravi Sharma

JAKARTA - Indian police detained dozens of people in demonstrations at the famous Indian Gate monument in New Delhi, demanding action to address the annual specter of toxic air enveloping the capital and surrounding areas.

Protests at the Mingggu carried out by demonstrators of all ages were dispersed by the police. It is known that Delhi and the national capital region have been battling such smoke every winter for years.

"We only have one problem, namely clean air," said Neha, a mask protester.

"This problem has been going on for years but no action has been taken," he told the ANI news agency.

Video footage from the news agency showed police dragging the protesters, holding some banners that read, "S breathing killing us," while others chanted slogans such as "Our rights, clean air" into the buses waiting before they were taken away.

The city's air quality index, which hit 345 on Monday, November 10, was ranked 'very bad', compared to 'good' rankings in the zero to 50 categories, and 'severe' in the range 401 to 500, according to the Central Pollution Control Agency.

The police requested that the location be vacated because it was not a predetermined protest site. Meanwhile, opposition leaders criticized the disbandment of the protesters.

"The right to clean air is a basic human right," said Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Congressional party that has ruled India for most of its history as an independent country, on X.

"The right to peaceful protests is guaranteed by our constitution. Why are citizens demanding that clean air be treated peacefully like criminals ?," Gandhi said.

The Delhi government claims to have taken steps to prevent pollution.

"We will continue with all possible efforts to clean us of pollution," said Indian Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

"This is the determination of our government," he continued.

The state government was formed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party.