BJP Condemns 'Marx and Mao Pollution' in Protesters' Brains
The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a sharp criticism on Monday against demonstrators who allegedly raised slogans supporting slain Naxal commander Madvi Hidma during what was supposed to be a protest against Delhi's worsening air quality. BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi declared that the 'pollution of Marx and Mao' is denser in the brains of these agitators than the atmospheric pollution they claimed to protest.
Masks Come Off at India Gate Protest
During a press conference, Trivedi asserted that the protesters' true intentions became evident shortly after they gathered at India Gate on Sunday. "Some people reached India Gate with a mask on their faces that they are there to protest against the pollution," he stated. "The masks were off as soon as they reached there, and the real face was out, and they started raising slogans in support of a slain Naxal commander."
The BJP leader used the incident to target the Congress party, claiming that the opposition party dreams of coming to power with extremist support. "The PM has said that the Congress has become the Muslim League-Maoist. More than the air pollution, the pollution of Marx and Mao is denser in their brains," Trivedi emphasized.
Violent Clashes and Multiple Arrests
The protest at C Hexagon, India Gate turned violent when demonstrators attempted to block the road. According to Delhi Police, when officers tried to remove them, protesters sprayed pepper spray on police personnel and attempted to attack them. The police have arrested 15 activists on charges of obstruction and assault.
Visuals from the Sunday protest showed demonstrators holding posters of Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, who was killed on November 18 along with his wife and four other Maoists in the Maredumilli forests of Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitarama Raju district. Security forces stated the group initiated firing during a cordon-and-search operation, leading to an extended encounter.
The judicial process has already begun, with Patiala House Court remanding 5 accused to 2 days' judicial custody. The court has asked police to submit video evidence and has directed one accused to be sent to a safe house until his age verification is completed, as he has claimed to be a minor.
Organizations Distance Themselves from Controversy
Meanwhile, Scientists for Society (SFS), one of the participating organizations in Sunday's "Delhi Against Clean Air" protest, has distanced itself from groups that raised slogans unrelated to air pollution. In a Monday statement, SFS clarified they joined the protest solely to highlight Delhi's severe air quality crisis and question government inaction.
The Delhi Coordination Committee for Clean Air had earlier criticized authorities for relying on "cosmetic measures" like water sprinklers and cloud seeding instead of implementing long-term solutions to combat the capital's persistent air pollution problem, which continues to pose serious health risks to residents.
