'International Shame': ‘AQI, AQI’ chants greet Delhi CM after she arrives for Messi event amid rise in air pollution
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'International Shame': ‘AQI, AQI’ chants greet Delhi CM after she arrives for Messi event amid rise in air pollution")
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta with footballer Lionel Messi in Arun Jaitley Stadium. Photograph: (X)
The chants were originally meant for cheering the footballer Messi; however, the chants quickly turned against the Delhi CM and the worsening air quality of the national capital. The episode underscored growing public frustration over pollution in the national capital.
A moment of embarrassment unfolded at the Arun Jaitley Stadium when Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta arrived while football icon Lionel Messi made his visit amid his India tour. As soon as the CM entered, sections of the crowd began chanting “AQI, AQI, AQI”, highlighting public anger over the capital’s severe air pollution. The captured moments quickly went viral on social media.
The chants were originally meant for cheering the footballer Messi; however, the chants quickly turned against the Delhi CM and the worsening air quality of the national capital. The episode underscored growing public frustration over pollution in the national capital.
The clip, which quickly went viral on social media, was circulated by opposition parties in Delhi. Both the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress amplified the video as pollution levels in the capital continued to worsen. “International Shame, Crowd for Messi shouts ‘AQI, AQI’ as soon as Delhi CM Rekha Gupta arrives,” AAP’s Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj said in a post on X.
The AAP accused the BJP-led governments in Delhi and at the Centre of showing “indifference” towards the deteriorating AQI situation.
Responding to criticism, earlier Delhi CM Gupta said her government was taking all possible steps to reduce the pollution level of Delhi. However, she blamed previous administrations for their inactive role in pollution control.
“I want to ask those protesting at India Gate: The problem of air pollution is not new and has been around for years. Where were your protests before? What did the previous government do? “There is a backlog of 27 years. The government needs at least 27 months to fix things. After 27 months, you can ask me about the steps we took to address air pollution," Gupta had said.
Delhi AQI recorded 'severe'
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The Central Pollution Control Board data indicated that 27 air-quality monitoring stations in Delhi recorded 'severe' pollution on Monday, with Wazirpur registering the highest at 475. Thick smog reduced visibility and disrupted daily activities, prompting several residents to wear masks while commuting.
The air quality of Delhi remained in the 'severe' category for the third consecutive day, with haze blanketing the skyline. Meanwhile, the Lionel Messi G.O.A.T. India Tour concluded successfully at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, after a chaotic event in Kolkata on Saturday.
