As Delhi again slipped into the “very poor” air-quality zone, scores of residents—many holding children and inhalers—assembled at India Gate on Sunday to protest the capital’s worsening smog crisis. With combined air-quality readings nearing 400 at key stations, the demonstrators demanded decisive government measures and accused authorities of data manipulation and inaction.

Video clips showed police detaining around 60-80 people, including mothers with children. A protester asked an officer, “Bacche saans nahi lete kya?” (“Don’t children breathe?”)—highlighting the health anxiety driving the march. The event also drew political attention: Rahul Gandhi condemned the detentions, calling clean air a fundamental right and questioning why peaceful protesters were treated like criminals.

The Delhi government defended its efforts, citing anti-smog guns, e-bus rollouts and dust-mitigation measures, yet acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge, stating that “10 years of damage cannot be corrected in seven months”.

In essence, the protest marks more than a rally—it signals the rising frustration of citizens who are simultaneously choking on toxic air, feeling unheard, and staging a visible reminder that the air quality crisis is a civic emergency demanding not just attention but action.