Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday delivered a pointed appeal to the central government, demanding that Delhi’s annual descent into hazardous air pollution be declared a full-scale public health emergency and addressed through immediate, non-partisan measures that extend far beyond temporary vehicle restrictions and construction bans.

Dozens of opposition parliamentarians, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and leaders from DMK, TMC, and Left parties, staged a symbolic protest on the steps of Parliament House itself, wearing anti-pollution masks and holding placards that read “Save Delhi from Poison” and “Air Is Not Political.” The demonstration marked a rare instance of lawmakers visibly shielding their own faces against the very smog engulfing the national capital.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, addressing reporters outside Parliament, insisted that toxic air is a life-threatening crisis affecting every resident regardless of political affiliation. She accused the government of repeatedly rejecting opposition requests for a dedicated discussion in both Houses and of failing to enforce long-term solutions such as subsidised alternatives for stubble burning, expansion of public transport, and stricter industrial emission norms across the entire National Capital Region.

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After a brief respite on November 30 and December 1 when the Air Quality Index had dipped below 250, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated sharply again, climbing to 335 (‘very poor’) on Wednesday and settling at 299 (‘poor’) on Thursday morning, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. Medical experts warn that prolonged exposure at these levels significantly raises the risk of respiratory illness, cardiovascular events, and irreversible lung damage, particularly among children and the elderly.

With the opposition vowing to intensify pressure inside and outside Parliament until concrete, time-bound commitments are announced, the protest has transformed Delhi’s recurring winter smog crisis into a major political flashpoint, underscoring the widening trust deficit between the Centre and states over one of India’s most pressing environmental and public health challenges.

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