The BJP Youth Wing in Delhi staged a protest at Anand Vihar Chowk, near the city’s border against the rising air pollution levels across the national capital.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and Union Minister Harsh Malhotra took part in the demonstration, wearing respiratory masks to raise awareness among the people about the dangers of increasing pollution.
Anand Vihar, identified as one of Delhi’s most polluted hotspots, recorded an AQI level nearing 500 this morning when the BJP activists protested against the Delhi government.
Sachdeva accused the AAP government in Delhi of allegedly pushing the city into a disaster which has led people to face an emergency for breathing.
The Delhi BJP chief accused the Delhi government of neglecting street cleaning, failing to curb vehicular emissions, and constantly blaming the central government.
He said that whether at home or outside, people feel suffocated in this gas chamber-like environment, while the elderly and children are suffering from respiratory illness.
Highlighting the Central government’s initiatives like the Akshardham Road, Eastern and Western Expressways, Dwarka Expressway, and Pragati Maidan Tunnel, Sachdeva noted they reduced heavy vehicle traffic in Delhi, but criticized the AAP government for not taking any concrete measures to combat pollution.
Malhotra while speaking on the occasion pointed out the lack of coordination between Delhi and Punjab governments to address stubble burning, despite both being led by the AAP.
The Union minister said, “Living in Delhi without a mask today is equivalent to risking your life.”
Meanwhile, since Monday, the BJP leaders have been distributing masks to the general public to safeguard against the ill effects of hazardous air.
BJP leaders Manoj Tiwari, Virendra Sachdeva, and Vijender Gupta were seen outside the Metro Station in central Delhi distributing masks to people who were on the way to work.