Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:37am on 16 Dec 2025,Tuesday India
A section of the crowd booed Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday as she arrived to welcome football star Lionel Messi. Some spectators chanted “AQI, AQI” to highlight Delhi’s severe air pollution. The incident took place on a day when the city recorded hazardous air quality, with the AQI touching 498 earlier. Thick smog reduced visibility across Delhi. Opposition leaders shared videos of the chants on social media and criticised the government. Gupta said her government is taking steps to control pollution and blamed earlier administrations. The event continued despite the protest, and Messi briefly thanked fans before leaving the stage. (PC: PTI)