Delhi Police End Protests at Jantar Mantar After Three Decades
Authorities have designated three paid alternative venues far from parliament, sparking criticism from activists and rights advocates.
At a glance
- Delhi Police have revoked Jantar Mantar's status as an authorized protest site after more than three decades.
- Demonstrations have been redirected to three alternative sites that charge daily fees and sit farther from parliament.
- Petitions challenging the ban are currently being heard before India's Supreme Court.
Delhi Police have announced that Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century observatory located close to India's parliament, will no longer serve as a designated protest venue. The decision ends more than three decades of public demonstrations along the central, tree-lined street in the capital.
The measure follows large-scale demonstrations organised by the Cockroach Janta Party, a youth collective that mobilised tens of thousands of people to demand the resignation of federal education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. After Pradhan stepped down, security forces placed barricades around the road, and an attempt by the group to stage another demonstration there faced a police crackdown.
Authorities have redirected demonstrators to three alternative sites. Two of the locations are far from the seat of government, while the third, the Ramlila Ground, is often booked months ahead. In addition, all three alternative venues charge tens of thousands of rupees daily to host gatherings, whereas demonstrations at Jantar Mantar were free. Campaigners argue the shift will price ordinary citizens out of holding public demonstrations and isolate them from national policymakers.
Police officials maintained they acted following a Supreme Court recommendation to identify alternate sites with adequate facilities. A previous attempt by the National Green Tribunal to halt protests at the location in 2017 was overturned by the Supreme Court a year later on constitutional grounds safeguarding free speech and peaceful assembly. Petitions challenging the current closure are now pending before the Supreme Court.
Jantar Mantar first became Delhi's central protest hub in 1993 after the government barred gatherings at the Boat Club lawns near the old parliament building. In the decades since, the street has hosted a wide range of causes, including months-long camps by survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, hunger strikes over river dam projects, and demonstrations by retired soldiers and student groups. Political figures, including opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, have stated that the site belongs to the public and should be reclaimed.
Source: BBC World.
Questions and answers
- Why was Jantar Mantar closed as a protest site?
- Delhi Police said the change followed a Supreme Court suggestion to find alternative sites with adequate infrastructure, following major demonstrations at the location.
- Where can people protest in Delhi now?
- Organizers have been directed to three alternative venues, including Ramlila Ground, all of which charge tens of thousands of rupees per day and are located farther from parliament.
- Can the decision to close Jantar Mantar be challenged?
- Yes, India's Supreme Court is currently reviewing petitions that challenge the police decision to halt demonstrations at the site.
