New Delhi, For decades, Jantar Mantar has stood as a testament to democracy, where people gathered hoping that their voices would reach those in power. From Anna Hazare’s hunger strike, to the Nirbhaya protests and the NEET paper leak agitation, the site has witnessed powerful expressions of public dissent.
Now, with Delhi Police de-notifying it as a designated protest site, the landmark risks losing its relevance as a space for people to make themselves heard. The incident sparked anger over racial discrimination and violence against people from the Northeast, with demonstrators demanding justice and measures to prevent such attacks. Jantar Mantar continued to provide a platform to groups whose concerns struggled to gain sustained attention.
One of the significant early demonstrations at the site took place in 1993, when 33 organisations assembled for a ‘Jail Bharo’ protest against the government’s economic policies and communalism. The scale of mobilisation was highlighted in Parliament, where an MP said nearly 25,000 people had participated in the demonstration. Hazare ended his fast on April 9, turning the protest into one of the most prominent mass movements of the period and establishing Jantar Mantar as a focal point for public campaigns demanding political accountability. In 2014, protests also followed the death of Nido Tania, a student from Arunachal Pradesh who was allegedly assaulted in southeast Delhi. In 2017, Tamil Nadu farmers staged a 41-day protest to highlight agrarian distress, seeking relief from mounting debts, drought-related losses and other problems affecting their livelihoods.
Rani Sharma, who participated in the Anna Hazare movement, said de-notification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue amounted to a curtailment of space of dissent. She said its proximity to the seat of power made it an ideal place for citizens to raise their voices and hold the government accountable.
Thousands of protesters, particularly young people, took to the streets demanding justice for the victim and stronger laws to protect women.
