A joint protest march by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) from Firozeshah Road towards Jantar Mantar was stopped by Delhi Police on Wednesday, October 14, after participants demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the restoration of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue.
According to the report by Jagran, the demonstrators were carrying flags and placards and raising slogans including “Reclaim Jantar Mantar” and “Gyanesh Kumar resign”. Videos shared from the protest showed police personnel positioned behind barricades as the marchers were prevented from proceeding towards the protest site.
The demonstration was organised amid a continuing dispute over access to Jantar Mantar, one of Delhi’s best-known public venues for political and civic protests. The report said the site had been de-notified as a designated location for demonstrations a few days earlier. Delhi Police subsequently identified Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in east Delhi as alternative venues.
The change affects how protest groups can assemble and approach central Delhi. Jantar Mantar is located close to Parliament and several important government offices, making it a highly visible site for public demonstrations. The restrictions therefore involve not only the movement of protesters but also the administration of public space, security arrangements and traffic management in the capital’s central district.
The SFI and DYFI marchers nevertheless attempted to move from Firozeshah Road towards Jantar Mantar, where they sought to raise their demands. The report did not provide details of the number of participants detained during Wednesday’s march or whether any cases were registered against them.
The latest protest follows other demonstrations in Delhi over the same restrictions. Jagran reported that Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka of the organisation identified as CJP were sent to judicial custody in Tihar jail for five days on Wednesday. The report attributed the action to an alleged violation of the order concerning Jantar Mantar, while also referring to a Delhi Police explanation for the arrests.
The dispute has also generated allegations about police handling of protesters. The report referred to claims by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that detained NSUI demonstrators were beaten, although it did not provide a police response to those allegations in the material supplied for this report.
For Delhi’s protest groups, the designated alternatives now determine where demonstrations can legally take place and how close they can be held to the institutions being addressed. For the police and civic authorities, the arrangements require the regulation of march routes, crowd movement and access to central government districts. The immediate next step will be the enforcement of the notified alternative venues and the handling of further attempts to march towards Jantar Mantar.
