"They were hiding their faces": Environment Minister Sirsa slams AAP MLAs over pollution protest

New Delhi [India], January 6 (ANI): Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs who wore gas masks during a protest against rising air pollution in the national capital, alleging that the opposition was attempting to hide its failures of the past 11 years.
Reacting to the demonstration, Sirsa said that AAP legislators were "hiding their faces" and accused the party of subjecting Delhi to over a decade of polluted air during its tenure.
He further alleged that while the Delhi government had invited the opposition for a debate on air pollution, AAP leaders chose to stage protests instead of participating in constructive discussions.
"They (AAP leaders, including Atishi) were hiding their faces. You have given Delhi eleven years of polluted air. For eleven years, Arvind Kejriwal kept serving up lies, lies, and more lies. Every year, he kept saying that the pollution would be fixed next year. Now they hide their faces behind masks. Can't the people of Delhi see the real faces behind their masked mouths? This is the first time a government is itself saying, let's debate pollution...we asked for debate, but opposition ran away......so they are engaging in protest...." Sirsa told reporters.
Highlighting improvements in air quality, the Environment Minister said the national capital recorded measurable progress in 2025, including reductions in PM2.5 and PM10 levels, recording 79 days with an Air Quality Index (AQI) below 100 and around 200 clean air days, the highest since 2018 and surpassing all previous years except the COVID-affected 2020.
As per an official release, the average AQI from January to November stood at 187, marking the best air quality performance in the last eight years, with only eight days classified under the severe category.
"Under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's leadership, the Delhi Government has elevated air pollution to its topmost priority since assuming office. This commitment translated into a comprehensive, science-backed strategy targeting pollution at its roots through structural policy reforms and relentless enforcement across dust mitigation, vehicular emissions, industrial controls, and waste management, the release stated.
"Delhiites gave us the mandate to serve, and we made clean air our foremost pledge - 2025's record Good AQI days prove science-led action works wonders," asserted Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, reflecting on the year's highlights.
The release stated that polluting units in industrial and non-conforming areas faced shutdowns via ward-level surveys, with even government agencies penalised for violations. Waste management transformed on the ground: garbage pickup frequency doubled, complemented by 35 MT of legacy waste bio-mined daily, accelerating the demolition of waste mountains at landfills. The release also stated that innovations such as cloud-seeding trials and open challenges for pollution-mitigating technologies added momentum.
Looking ahead, the Delhi government plans to implement bolder reforms, including stricter enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), technology pilots, and enhanced citizen participation through platforms such as the Green Delhi app.
"2026 will amplify these wins with permanent solutions - breathable air is every Delhiite's right, and we'll deliver it through unwavering resolve," Sirsa affirmed. (ANI)