New Delhi: A protest in New Delhi against hazardous air quality took a controversial turn Sunday as demonstrators allegedly raised slogans in support of Madvi Hidma, a Maoist commander who was recently killed in an encounter with security forces. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly condemned the demonstration, accusing the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi of supporting a "Maoist narrative" under the guise of environmental activism.
The demonstration, held at India Gate, saw protesters raising slogans like "Hidma Amar Rahe" ("Long Live Hidma") and displaying posters of the Maoist leader. Madvi Hidma, who carried a bounty of ₹1 crore on his head, was killed on November 18 in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitaramaraju district. He was allegedly responsible for numerous deadly attacks, including the 2017 Sukma attack in which 26 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed.
The Delhi Police have filed First Information Reports (FIRs) and arrested 22 people for obstructing public roads, assaulting officers, and using pepper spray. According to authorities, the protesters blocked the movement of ambulances and emergency vehicles, and some allegedly used pepper spray and chilli powder against police officers. Several officers were reportedly injured and are receiving treatment.
BJP leaders have reacted sharply to the incident. BJP spokesperson R.P. Singh called it an "anti-India agenda" being pushed under the cover of a pollution protest. He questioned the motives of the organizers, accusing "urban Naxal elements" of hijacking the demonstration. Another BJP leader, Sudhanshu Trivedi, criticized the protesters for being influenced by "pollution of Marx and Mao".
The BJP's IT cell head, Amit Malviya, directly accused Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party of backing the Maoist cause. In a tweet, he questioned whether Rahul Gandhi endorsed the slogans raised in support of Hidma.
The Congress party has not yet issued an official statement on the matter. However, some political analysts suggest that the BJP is attempting to divert attention from the critical issue of air pollution by linking the protest to Maoist ideology.
The Delhi Coordination Committee for Clean Air, which organized the protest, issued a statement condemning the arrests and accusing authorities of suppressing citizens' concerns about the city's hazardous air quality. They claimed that the government is relying on "cosmetic measures" instead of implementing long-term solutions to address the pollution crisis. The committee also stated that India Gate is not a designated protest zone according to court orders, and demonstrations should be held at Jantar Mantar.
The incident has sparked a debate about the nature of activism and the exploitation of sensitive issues for political gains. Questions are being raised about whether the demonstration was genuinely focused on environmental concerns or if it was a platform to promote a Maoist agenda. The Delhi Police are continuing their investigation, and further arrests may be made as they review video evidence from the protest.
