On the opening day of the Winter Session, a pollution crisis sparked a powerful protest outside the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Members of the Aam Aadmi
Party (AAP) donned industrial-grade masks to draw attention to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's perceived failure to address air quality issues. The demonstration, led by former Delhi Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Atishi, criticised the BJP for allowing the capital to become a "gas chamber" as residents struggle with poor air quality. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that instead of acting, the BJP’s four-engine government manipulated Air Quality Index (AQI) data and silenced dissent, marshalling MLAs out of the House when the issue was exposed before the public. Condemning the government's inaction, Atishi said, "The people of Delhi cannot breathe and are dying because of toxic air, yet the BJP is not even willing to discuss pollution, let alone work on it.” She emphasised that the enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been inadequate and accused the BJP of manipulating Air Quality Index (AQI) data to suppress dissent. During the protest, Atishi and other AAP MLAs were expelled from the Assembly after wearing masks inside. She remarked, “It is shameful that people are dying due to poisonous air, but the BJP government will do nothing beyond sprinkling water on AQI monitors.” Atishi also questioned the source of pollution, asserting that data indicates this year has seen the highest pollution levels in a decade, while stubble burning in Punjab, often blamed for pollution, has ceased. Questioning the source of pollution, the former Delhi CM continued, “The BJP must first answer why people in Delhi are dying because of toxic air. All data shows that this year Delhi has witnessed the highest pollution levels in the last ten years. Their excuse of stubble burning in Punjab has also ended because the Central Government’s data shows that stubble burning is no longer happening in Punjab. So the question is, where is this pollution coming from?” Senior AAP leader Sanjeev Jha highlighted the Lieutenant Governor's earlier claims about reducing pollution by 80 percent and demanded accountability. “Is the BJP government not listening to him, or is he not giving ideas, or was that claim false?” he asked, expressing frustration over being marshalled out when attempting to raise questions about pollution during the Assembly session. Jha criticised the BJP government for its lack of action, stating, “Pollution in Delhi is extremely serious. People are being admitted to hospitals and doctors are saying that December has been the most polluted month.” He reiterated the necessity for a robust discussion on pollution, emphasising that AAP will persistently raise this issue in the Assembly. Other AAP members echoed similar sentiments, with MLA Gopal Rai asserting that the government must be held accountable for its failure to control pollution. “The Aam Aadmi Party’s demand is that this issue must be discussed when the House is in session,” he said. Kuldeep Kumar, another AAP MLA, accused the BJP government of suppressing pollution data and highlighted the dire situation facing residents, stating, “Delhi’s air has become suffocating. Children’s lungs are getting damaged, and for elderly people and all Delhiites, breathing has become extremely difficult. Long queues have formed in hospitals and medicines are not available. People are distressed and want to know what work the BJP government has done and what it is doing now.” Highlighting public suffering, Kuldeep Kumar added, “The BJP government says that the opposition should remove masks inside the House, but it is the government that has forced the people of Delhi to wear masks. It has forced people to leave Delhi and go outside. Today health experts are saying that Delhi is no longer liveable and its environment is suffocating. But the Chief Minister is only busy hiding data and forcing the opposition to remove masks. She must work seriously, address the issues of Delhi’s people, and act to eliminate this pollution.”
