Ban imposed on protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar

A ban has been imposed on holding protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, leading to the cancellation of several demonstrations organised by various organisations. According to a report by The Indian Express, the Delhi Police has removed Jantar Mantar from the list of authorised venues for protests.

According to a Delhi Police official, a total of 15 applications had been submitted to the Parliament Street police station since 5 September, but the police had not approved a single one. Out of these, 11 applications were for protests to be held on or after 12 October. These organisations include groups such as the LPG Distributors Association, Jat Mahasabha, and Citizen Vote Vigilance Committee.

Instead of the ban on Jantar Mantar, the Delhi Police had provided three other alternatives: Burari Maidan, Ramlila Maidan, and CBD Ground. However, it proved difficult for many groups to organise protests at these locations. The Naga Students' Organisation had planned to protest on 12 October against the violence in Manipur. The organisation's 25-year-old president, Chipika Zimo, had applied at the Parliament Street police station on 29 September, expecting an attendance of approximately 250 people.

Chipika Zimo stated that when she learned that Jantar Mantar is no longer an authorised venue, she went to the police station. The police advised her to go to Burari Maidan and sent her to the Ashok Vihar police station. However, upon reaching Ashok Vihar, she learned that Burari Maidan falls under the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). When she went to the DDA office, she was told to apply online, but Burari Maidan's name was not among the options on the website. Consequently, instead of holding a protest, the organisation decided to hold a press conference at the Press Club of India on 22 October. Zimo further added that they could not start a protest without any permission and decided not to protest keeping the safety of the students in mind.

The LPG Distributors Association (LDAI) had also sought permission for a protest on 26 October. The association's National President, B.S. Sharma, stated that he had contacted the DDA for permission for CBD Ground. As there was no option for booking protests on the DDA website, he had booked the land under the social work category as an NGO. The DDA had permitted the use of a part of the land, but on the night of 25 October, the Delhi Police removed all the tents from there. Sharma said that because they had sought permission under the wrong category, they could not protest at CBD Ground. The following day, nearly 5000 distributors protested on the road facing CBD Ground. He questioned the meaning of protesting where no one can see.

On the other hand, the National OBC Federation had planned to protest on 14 December, demanding the inclusion of an OBC column in the caste census. Since Jantar Mantar was unavailable, they sought permission for Ramlila Maidan. The organisation's General Secretary, Sachin Bhaurao Rajurkar, stated that he had received a message from the SHO that no permission was being granted for Jantar Mantar. He added that they were only asking for space for 500 people and that protesting is their right.