Delhi AQI Protesters Shout Slogans Supporting Eliminated Maoist Commander Madvi Hidma

Protest against rising pollution in Delhi (Credits: ANI)

During a protest in Delhi over the worsening Air Quality Index (AQI), some protestors were heard shouting “Long Live Hidma” (“Hidma amar rahe”). A video shared by ANI showed participants raising the slogan as they held placards.

Madvi Hidma is one of India’s most notorious Maoist leaders, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitaramaraju district on November 18. He earned a bounty of Rs 1 crore.

BJP Takes Sharp Jibe

The BJP slammed the “activists” raising slogans motivated by “regressive Communist agenda”.

“For the last decade, Delhi had an Urban Naxal as Chief Minister, and despite the city choking year after year, there were no major protests demanding cleaner air. But the moment BJP swept to power in Delhi, suddenly we have “activists” staging protests in the name of pollution — protests that are clearly motivated by a regressive Communist agenda, not environmental concern,” BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya wrote.

“And the faces are familiar: the same delinquent student activists from Left-aligned unions of JNU. Today again, these loonies were out on the streets, pretending to cry over air quality while brazenly carrying placards and shouting slogans glorifying dead Naxalite Hidma Madvi.”

For a long time, Madvi Hidma existed almost like a rumour. Security agencies had little idea of his appearance and relied on questioning surrendered Maoists while flipping through pages of old photographs, hoping someone might point him out.

There were only rough sketches and descriptions to go by. It was only earlier this year that a clear photograph finally emerged, giving investigators their first definite visual confirmation after years of uncertainty.