Rahul Gandhi Urges Unified Political Action to Combat Air Pollution in Major Cities

By A Staff Reporter

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday raised an urgent alarm over the worsening air quality in India’s major cities and appealed for collective political will to address what he termed a “non-ideological, national health emergency.” His remarks came during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, where pollution has repeatedly surfaced as a central concern among lawmakers.

Gandhi said that Indian cities were “living under a blanket of poisonous air,” stressing that the crisis has already begun inflicting severe health consequences. “Millions of children are getting lung disease, their future has been destroyed. People are getting cancer, older people are struggling to breathe,” he said while addressing the House. He added that air pollution was a problem that cut across party lines and required united action: “This is an interesting issue because I am certain that there will be a full agreement between the government and us on this issue. This is not an ideological issue."

Calling for immediate and coordinated intervention, he urged the government and opposition to jointly commit to long-term mitigation measures, including stronger emissions control, urban planning reforms, and health-protection mechanisms for vulnerable populations.