Environmental Protest Takes Political Turn at India Gate
Delhi Police arrested 22 individuals during an air pollution protest at India Gate on November 23, 2025, after demonstrators displayed posters featuring slain Maoist leader Madvi Hidma. The protest, initially organized to highlight the capital's severe air quality crisis, took a controversial turn when participants drew historical parallels between tribal leaders and the wanted Maoist commander.
Controversial Slogans Spark Police Action
In videos circulating on social media, a protester could be seen holding a banner that read: 'From Birsa Munda to Madvi Hidma, the struggle of our forests and environment will go on'. This comparison between the revered tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda and the banned CPI (Maoist) leader prompted immediate police intervention. The demonstration was organized to protest the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR, but the political messaging quickly became the focal point.
Police personnel swiftly removed the protesters from India Gate, the national monument that has historically been a gathering point for various public demonstrations. The ANI news agency captured footage showing the moment when law enforcement officials intervened to disperse the crowd and make arrests.
Timeline of Events and Public Response
The incident occurred on November 23, 2025, with news organizations reporting the development the following day. The protest highlights how environmental concerns in India's capital are increasingly intersecting with broader political and ideological debates about resource rights and indigenous communities.
Madvi Hidma, whose posters appeared at the protest, is a senior leader of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and has been wanted by security forces for years. The comparison to Birsa Munda, a 19th-century tribal revolutionary who fought against British colonial rule, has generated significant discussion about the appropriation of environmental and tribal rights narratives.
The Delhi air quality protest and subsequent arrests demonstrate how environmental activism in urban centers can sometimes incorporate symbols and figures from ongoing conflicts in India's forested regions. The police action underscores the authorities' zero-tolerance approach toward any display of support for banned militant organizations, even within the context of broader public demonstrations.
