Jantar Mantar

Why should city be put to ransom? Delhi HC on Jantar Mantar protests

The Delhi HC questioned keeping Jantar Mantar as a protest site, saying the city should not be put to ransom, while asking Delhi Police to decide on a protest plea by August 8

India must fix its jobless growth model to harness the Gen Z opportunity

Its jobless growth model needs serious course correction

'Apologise in 3 days or lose safe harbour': BJP MP's warning to Meta

Meta briefly blocked access to PM Narendra Modi's July 23 video before restoring it; the address to GenZ came amid protests over the alleged Neet-UG 2026 paper leak

ISI-backed module planned to attack Jantar Mantar during protests: Police

A day after Punjab Police busted two ISI-backed cross-border terror modules, the police on Wednesday said one of the modules had planned to attack Delhi's Jantar Mantar during recent student protests and its members had even travelled to the site with logistical support and materials to make petrol bombs. The police on Tuesday said they apprehended nine accused, including four juveniles, and recovered arms and ammunition in the operation. Amritsar Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said an ISI-backed handler had sent some members of the terror module to Jantar Mantar during the protest. "The support was arranged by an ISI-backed handler and some members of the terror module had travelled to Jantar Mantar during the protest dharna there. Through their handler, they were provided logistical support and materials for making petrol bombs, but they could not execute their plan and were apprehended recently when the terror modules were busted," Bhullar told PTI over phone. Pun

SC says youngsters need to be pacified, law enforcement must show restraint

The Supreme Court on Wednesday underscored the need for law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint during protests and said youngsters must be pacified, even if some "misguided elements" indulge in stone-pelting, as it agreed to hear a plea seeking action against organisers of the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march for allegedly inciting violence. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana tagged the plea, filed by a retired Air Force officer, with a similar petition. Advocate Rizwan Ahmed, appearing for petitioner Maneesh Kumar Solanki, said, "Fifteen days have passed... What about the accountability of the organisers? They are going from channel to channel giving provocative statements and refusing to douse the fire". Referring to a recent law and order incident in Rajasthan, the lawyer argued that governments should not "bend backwards" to accommodate protesters. "One young man has died. If the government bends backwards in a matter ...

CJP protests: When silence, support and service become brand strategy

Blue Tokai offered shelter. Swiggy and Blinkit delivered supplies. Several brands paused campaigns. The Jantar Mantar protests became an unexpected lesson in brand strategy

SC agrees to hear plea seeking alternative protest venue to Jantar Mantar

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine a PIL contending that the Jantar Mantar in the heart of the national capital was no longer a suitable venue for protests as they cause inconvenience to local residents and disrupt essential services. A bench comprising Chief Justice and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notices to the Centre and others on the plea filed by Satish Chand Kaushik. It asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to obtain instructions from the authorities on the issues raised. The petition seeks an alternative arrangement for holding demonstrations, saying protests at Jantar Mantar create difficulties for local residents and disrupt the supply of essential goods and medical services. During the hearing, the CJI said that the petition raised concerns relating to access and movement in the area. "It has been stated in the plea that Jantar Mantar is not a proper site anymore for such protests due to ingress and egress issues. Supply of medical essentials et

PM Modi says he was abused at Jantar Mantar, urges forgiveness for youth

In an Instagram video, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he and his late mother were abused during the Jantar Mantar protests and urges society to forgive and guide "misguided" youth

Explained: What are the SOPs regarding use of pellet guns in India?

The Supreme Court said pellet guns can be used only in exceptional cases under existing rules. Here is what the SOPs say about their use

Discuss our trauma too: Kin of injured Delhi cops seek Parliament attention

Discuss our trauma in Parliament too, the families of four Delhi Police personnel injured in the July 20 CJP-led march to Parliament said on Friday while stressing that the discourse so far has largely centred on allegations of police excesses. Seeking to tell "their side" of the violence that broke out during the 'Sansad Chalo' march, they pressed for a discussion in Parliament on the injuries suffered by policemen on duty and the trauma endured by their families, saying the conversation so far had focused mainly on charges against the force. Addressing a press conference at the Constitution Club of India, the wife of an ACP, the wife of an ASI, and the children of two injured police officers recounted the hours they spent waiting for phone calls from hospitals, seeing bloodied family members return home and, later, watching social media narratives that they felt overlooked the injuries sustained by the police personnel. Recalling the night her husband returned home injured, Upneet

Young Indians need employment, not just a better examination system

For young Indians, a better testing system is imperative, as is creating more skilling and employment opportunities

Memes are the new poetry of resistance. Stop judging them by old rules

The outrage over GenZ memes says less about young protesters than authority's perennial discomfort with unfamiliar forms of political expression

RAF fired multiple munitions, plastic pellets during July 20 protest

An official record of the police action taken during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march by protesters on the NEET issue has stated that the RAF fired multiple rounds of non-lethal munitions, including two rounds of plastic pellets, while controlling the mob at one location near Jantar Mantar, officials said on Monday. The incident has been recorded on July 22 at 1:24 PM in the general diary entry of the Parliament Street police station on the information of a Deputy Commandant of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) stating the blue dungaree donning force was on duty in the Zone 1 of the Jantar Mantar area along with a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) rank officer of the Delhi Police, officials told PTI. On the directions of the DCP, according to the officials quoting the police station record, the RAF fired 55 non-electrical shells, 15 electrical shells, five tear smoke grenades, two rounds from the anti-riot guns and two rounds of plastic pellets on July 20. Officials said one round of t

Mere agitation can't justify police excess, says SC on student protests

The Supreme Court said peaceful protest is a constitutional right and observed that mere agitation cannot justify a lathi-charge, while hearing pleas seeking uniform guidelines for protests

Beyond CJP, beyond Delhi: How movement took on a life of its own

Anushka Bhardwaj explains how the campaign became decentralised and spread across India, powered by students, satire, and shared outrage

All 18 Delhi Metro stations reopen after four days as CJP withdraws protest

All 18 Delhi Metro stations in central Delhi, which had remained shut due to security reasons, reopened on Saturday after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) withdrew its protest, ending four days of restrictions. In a post on X, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced that all metro stations were now open and normal entry and exit had resumed. The stations reopened after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, after which the CJP announced the withdrawal of its protest and demonstrators began dispersing from the Jantar Mantar area. The stations that had remained closed over the past four days were Lok Kalyan Marg, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, Barakhambha Road, Supreme Court, Seva Teerth, Janpath, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, ITO, Delhi Gate, Indraprastha, Khan Market, Jor Bagh, Shivaji Stadium, Jhandewalan and New Delhi. The stations had been shut due to security arrangements in central Delhi amid the CJP protest, which drew large ...

Chants, dance fill Jantar Mantar as protesters celebrate Pradhan's exit

Patriotic songs, drumbeats and chants of "Vande Mataram" echoed through Jantar Mantar on Saturday as thousands of protesters erupted in celebration after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned over the NEET paper leak, calling it the first major victory of their weeks-long agitation. The celebration continued even as, just after the meeting with Union ministers, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokespersons said the agitation was being withdrawn with the government accepting all demands put forth by the outfit. The protest site, which witnessed clashes, tear gas and injuries just days earlier, transformed into a scene of jubilation as protesters hugged one another, waved the tricolour, danced in circles to the song 'Chak De! India' and beat daflis while chanting slogans celebrating democracy and student unity. Many held aloft portraits of Dr B R Ambedkar, while others recorded videos recreating a popular social media meme by pointing first to Pradhan's resignation lett

CJP calls off protest after Pradhan quits, says Centre has accepted demands

The announcement came after another round of talks between CJP representatives and Union ministers Jitendra Singh and J P Nadda at Vithalbhai Patel House

'Our demands accepted': CJP withdraws protest after talks with govt

The party said the Centre had agreed to provide compensation to the families of those who died during the protest in accordance with applicable rules and regulations

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke diagnosed with typhoid, says protest will go on

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday said he had been diagnosed with typhoid but vowed that his illness would not slow the movement seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. In a video message shared on social media, Dipke said he had been unwell for the past few days and was currently undergoing treatment. Despite his illness, he thanked CJP supporters for keeping the protests alive across the country and said that the movement would achieve its objective. "As you know, I have been unwell for the last few days. The reports are out and I have been diagnosed with typhoid," he said. Dipke said he was undergoing treatment and receiving intravenous medication. "The treatment is going on. I am getting IV drips every day. But I want to thank all the cockroaches who are protesting peacefully across the country," he said. Congratulating supporters for expanding the movement, Dipke said he believed sustained peaceful protests would help t