Jantar Mantar in Delhi has, over the years, become synonymous with protests. Since 1993, it has served as a platform for diverse forms of protest covering a wide range of issues – from gender rights to corruption to examination malpractices. It has hosted important voices against social injustice and misgovernance that have resonated with generations and contributed to enduring change. In practical terms, Jantar Mantar represents a thriving democratic space and the spirit of the Constitution’s Article 19, which ensures the right to speech and expression. The decision to denotify the location as a designated protest site is essentially a blow to that democratic expression. It is driven by undemocratic instinct and the State’s unwillingness to listen to the people.
The government now wants to move the protests to venues such as Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground, located far from the core areas of the national capital. These alternative sites are expensive, frequently host commercial and religious activities, and are not available for long periods. The Burari Ground and the CBD Ground are located about 15-20 km from the core city.
Protests are social and collective acts staged to attract the attention of the authorities and the community. To be effective, they need to be visible and accessible to the community. Limiting these gatherings to venues disconnected from Delhi’s core region strips the protests of their democratic character, effectively blunting their capacity to hold power to account. Notably, Delhi Police told the Delhi High Court that the move was based on a Supreme Court order. However, the Centre denied this in the apex court on Thursday, stating that it had already decided to form a committee to recommend alternative sites.
The Union government’s approach to dissent has been clear in police action during the agitation seeking examination reforms and the ongoing protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Such street protests and demonstrations will cause disruption and inconvenience the public. Democracy can be noisy, disorderly, and even costly, but it prevails over the silence and order established by authoritarianism. Proximity to the seat of power, visibility, and public access should be the key markers for a site of protest. Ideally, any location should be a venue for the public to protest. The citizen has the right to talk from all public spaces, which they own. The government cannot insist that it will hear them only on its terms. (Source: DH)
