Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has raised alarming concerns over Delhi's worsening air pollution, questioning whether the city should continue to serve as the national capital.

In a sharp critique of the central government’s inaction on the issue, Tharoor pointed to Delhi’s hazardous air quality, which is now almost five times worse than Dhaka, the world’s second-most polluted city.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said the situation had become “unconscionable,” criticizing the government for failing to tackle the pollution crisis despite years of deterioration.

Tharoor remarked, “Our government has been witnessing this nightmare for years and does nothing about it,” highlighting the urgency of the issue.

Delhi pollution

Tharoor’s comments come amidst a dire air quality situation, with Delhi often recording the worst air quality in the world during winter months. On Monday, the city reached an AQI of 493, placing it in the 'severe plus' category and prompting authorities to declare online classes for all students from Tuesday. Tharoor’s post also included his own past efforts to address the pollution, including launching an Air Quality Round Table in 2015 with experts and stakeholders. However, he abandoned the initiative last year due to the lack of progress.

The Congress veteran further described the national capital as “uninhabitable” from November to January and “barely liveable” for the rest of the year, raising the provocative question, “Should it even remain the nation’s capital?”

This is not the first time Tharoor has called attention to the pollution crisis in Delhi. Earlier this month, when the AQI reached a staggering 462, he humorously renamed some of Delhi’s iconic locations in a satirical post on X, including 'Pollutyens Delhi,' 'Haze Khas,' and 'Chandni Choke.' He also took a swipe at the government’s recent renaming of Central Vista's 'Rajpath' to 'Martavya Path,' saying, “No wonder they renamed the main road!”

The Supreme Court has also expressed severe concerns over Delhi’s deteriorating air quality. On Monday, the court sharply criticised both the Delhi government and the Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for their delay in enforcing the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The court has now ordered that Stage 4 restrictions under GRAP remain in effect until further notice.