NEW DELHI: At 2:18 pm on Saturday, the protest at Jantar Mantar was swelling with increasing aggression in the sloganeering. A minor clash had already taken place a while ago when Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation on X. In no time, the news spread like wildfire, and for thousands, irrespective of age, caste or gender, the venue turned into a celebration ground.
The mood transformed dramatically. Protesters erupted in cheers, hugging each other as chants of victory reverberated in the air. Young demonstrators danced on stage, while patriotic songs, including “Chak De! India”, blared through portable Bluetooth speakers. Opening their water bottles, they sprayed water over each other, describing their win as a “historic victory” for peaceful public mobilisation.
In one corner, young women moved through the crowd distributing toffees, offering sweets to mark the occasion. Many students, however, politely refused, saying the movement was not yet over. With tears welling up, some of them could be heard screaming their lungs out, “This victory is no less than winning a World Cup.”
As the protest drew to a close, the venue resembled a farewell gathering. Supporters painted and spray-painted messages such as “Signing Off”, “Inquilab Zindabad” and “Awaaz Uthate Raho” across roads, barricades and NDMC signboards. Many scribbled their names, left handwritten notes and queued up to click photographs beside the graffiti-covered boards. The blue NDMC signboards resembled the white farewell shirts of a school or college graduation, covered with signatures and messages from friends, a spontaneous archive of a movement as a GenZ goodbye to the place.