A day after activist Sonam Wangchuk, on an indefinite hunger strike was removed from the Jantar Mantar protest site, members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and protesters on Sunday reaffirmed their resolve to carry out their planned march to Parliament as Delhi Police stepped up security.
Event Context
The Chalo Sansad March, announced on July 9, is scheduled to begin around 9am from Jantar Mantar down Sansad Marg to the Parliament complex, around 1.6km away. It coincides with the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session.
However, Delhi Police said CJP had not sought permission for the march.
“We have not been informed about anything. How many people would attend the march or if a delegation would go. They don’t have any permission for the march so far,” said a senior police officer.
The CJP did not comment on whether they had asked for permission.
Police said prohibitory orders are in force across New Delhi district. More than 2,000 personnel, 20 companies of paramilitary forces, specialised anti-riot vehicles, ambulances and a mobile command centre have been deployed in preparation of the march.
Security has been stepped up in particular around Jantar Mantar, the Parliament, in border areas, police said.
Senior police officers said the elaborate security arrangements include Vajra anti-riot vehicles, designed to disperse violent crowds and withstand stone-pelting; Vikrant armoured vehicles, used for the safe movement of personnel in high-risk situations; and Varun water cannon vehicles, deployed for crowd control. Multiple police buses have also been stationed to transport detainees, if required, while ambulances and a mobile central command centre have been positioned to coordinate operations and watch the CCTV footage from Jantar Mantar.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday urged protesters to stay “united” and to be wary of attempts to derail the demonstration.
“I believe Jantar Mantar will see the maximum crowd it has seen in history. People from across the world are booking tickets and coming to India for this,” Dipke said, addressing protesters. “A lot of crowds will come, including miscreants. If you come across any such people, inform the volunteers so they can throw the person out.”
Referring to the police action a day earlier, he said “thieves will come quietly like they did yesterday and try to disrupt the protest. We have to be alert.”
Speaking at the site, Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo said, “If political leaders meet Sonam at the hospital and assure him that they will raise the issue of education accountability during the Monsoon Session, he will end his hunger strike tomorrow.”
On Saturday, policemen in civilian clothes, carrying white bedsheets, and initially posing as a medical team, climbed the stage where Wangchuk was lying around 7.20am. Many volunteers said they believed at first that doctors had come for a check-up, before officers clashed with them and began removing Wangchuk with the help of paramilitary. Protesters alleged that they were lathicharged and Dipke was briefly detained.
Police have said the action was in line with directions of the Delhi High Court. The CJP launched the protest on June 6 against alleged irregularities in national exams, including NEET-UG whose paper leaks affected thousands of students. On June 28, Wangchuk began an indefinite fast, in its support.
Crowds swelled at the site across the day on Sunday with long queues at the entry points. The entire area has been sealed off with police barricading and is surrounded by heavy police deployment.
Protesters said Wangchuk had sent handwritten messages to them in which he had signed with “sent through Gitanjali from my illegal detention at Safdarjung”. Calling the campaign “India’s 2nd Freedom Movement,” Wangchuk appealed to supporters to make the march “a big success”.
Several participants told HT they had travelled from across the country — and even from overseas— to join the campaign.
Shreshth Singh, 23, from Uttarakhand, who recently completed a Bachelor’s degree in IT in Australia, said he cancelled his return ticket three days ago to remain at the protest. “I have seen what the BJP did during the farmers’ protest. I have experienced a fair system there (Australia) and I want that to happen in India also. If we come together, we can make it work,” he said.
Aastha, a 34-year-old from Mumbai said, “I have come for Sonam sir and I believe that we’ll be allowed to march a little after which they will lathi charge on us but we are ready for it all.”
Members of the CJP said they are yet to formulate a plan to manage the crowd.
Match Outlook
A senior police officer warned that the crowd needs to be better managed. “This space is not suitable for such a large gathering. It’s a safety hazard. We have not been informed about the number of people expected to come here on Sunday and Monday,” the officer said.
