‘AQI’, ‘AQI’ chants greet CM Rekha Gupta at Messi event in smog-hit Delhi

Amid alarming contamination levels blanketing Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was greeted with chants of 'AQI', 'AQI' from a conception of the assemblage erstwhile she took the signifier to invited shot icon Lionel Messi astatine the Arun Jaitley Stadium connected Monday (December 15, 2025).

A crisp driblet successful visibility and haze-obscured skyline marked different debased for Delhi connected Monday arsenic the Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 498 successful the greeting and settled astatine 427 by the evening, pushing the superior into ‘severe’ portion for the 3rd time running.

A video showing a conception of the assemblage chanting 'AQI', 'AQI' has gone viral connected societal media, prompting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to onslaught Ms. Gupta implicit the ‘severe’ contamination levels gripping the capital.

“International Shame, Crowd for Messi shouts ‘AQI, AQI’ arsenic soon arsenic Delhi CM Rekha Gupta arrives,” AAP’s Delhi portion main Saurabh Bharadwaj said successful a station connected X, sharing the clip.

The AAP accused the BJP governments astatine the Centre and successful Delhi of being indifferent arsenic toxic aerial choked Delhi-NCR and parts of North India, saying the concern had reached exigency levels.

“In a state wherever everyone is talking astir pollution, the Prime Minister is conscionable soundless connected the issue,” Mr. Bharadwaj said.

Ms. Gupta had earlier said her authorities is making each kinds of efforts to curb pollution. She besides accused the erstwhile AAP and Congress governments of not doing thing connected the issue.

“I privation to inquire those protesting astatine India Gate: The occupation of aerial contamination is not caller and has been astir for years. Where were your protests before? What did the erstwhile authorities do? “There is simply a backlog of 27 years. The authorities needs astatine slightest 27 months to hole things. After 27 months, you tin inquire maine astir the steps we took to code aerial pollution,” Ms. Gupta had said.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 27 monitoring stations crossed Delhi recorded ‘severe’ aerial prime connected Monday, with Wazirpur signaling the worst aerial prime astatine 475. Notably, the CPCB does not registry an AQI worth beyond 500.

The dense smog affected regular life, with mediocre visibility and wellness concerns troubling residents and visitors. A metropolis nonmigratory said dense smog made commuting risky, forcing radical to instrumentality precautions specified arsenic wearing masks.

At the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the Lionel Messi G.O.A.T. India Tour ended successful a blaze of glory arsenic fans joyously gathered to drawback a glimpse of Messi.

The much-publicised lawsuit had the ending it wanted, aft a chaotic opening successful Kolkata connected the tour’s archetypal halt connected Saturday.

Speaking concisely successful Spanish, Messi said, “Gracias Delhi! Hasta pronto”, creating a consciousness of yearning among the crowds seldom seen before.