Delhi Environment Minister Criticizes Opposition Amid Pollution Protests
Minister's Strong Remarks on Air Pollution Protests
On Tuesday, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the Environment Minister of Delhi, launched a fierce critique against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators who donned gas masks during a protest against escalating air pollution in the national capital. He accused the opposition of attempting to conceal their failures over the past eleven years. Sirsa remarked that AAP representatives were hiding their faces and pointed fingers at the party for allowing Delhi to suffer from polluted air for over a decade.
Response to the Protest
In his comments regarding the protest, Sirsa stated that the Delhi government had invited the opposition for a discussion on air pollution, yet AAP leaders opted for protests instead of engaging in constructive dialogue. He told reporters that AAP leaders, including Atishi, were concealing their identities. "You have subjected Delhi to polluted air for eleven years. For over a decade, Arvind Kejriwal has been spinning lies, claiming that pollution would improve the following year. Now, they are hiding behind masks. Can the people of Delhi not see their true faces behind those masks? This is the first time a government has openly invited debate on pollution... We demanded a discussion, but the opposition fled, hence their protests," he stated.
Improvements in Air Quality
Highlighting advancements in air quality, the Environment Minister noted that the national capital has made significant strides in 2025, with reductions in PM2.5 and PM10 levels. The Air Quality Index (AQI) remained below 100 for 79 days, and nearly 200 days experienced clean air, marking the highest since 2018, excluding the COVID-impacted year of 2020. According to an official statement, the average AQI from January to November stood at 187, representing the best air quality performance in the last eight years, with only eight days classified as severe.
Government's Commitment to Clean Air
The statement further emphasized that under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's leadership, the Delhi government has prioritized air pollution since taking office. This commitment has led to the development of a comprehensive, science-based strategy aimed at eliminating pollution through structural policy reforms and continuous enforcement in dust control, vehicle emissions, industrial regulation, and waste management. Sirsa highlighted the year's key achievements, stating that the residents of Delhi have given them a mandate to serve, and they have made clean air their utmost resolution—evidenced by record-breaking days of good air quality in 2025, proving that science-based actions can yield miraculous results.