Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday criticised the Delhi Police’s decision to remove Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest sites, calling it the “biggest defeat” for the BJP government. He suggested that protesters be allowed to demonstrate on Lok Kalyan Marg, where the prime minister’s residence is located.
In a post on X, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister accused the BJP of fearing public anger and attempting to keep protesters away from places where those in power sit.
"Denotifying Jantar Mantar for peaceful democratic protests is the biggest defeat of the BJP government," Yadav said.
He said people should be thankful that they had not been asked to go to an "underground" location to protest, where the BJP and its associates allegedly hold secret meetings.
Yadav said the government should instead provide a designated protest site on Lok Kalyan Marg, arguing that this would be in keeping with the idea of public welfare reflected in its name and ensure that people's grievances reached the highest authorities directly.
The remarks came after Delhi Police denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated site for protests and demonstrations and named three alternative locations, Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground, under a standing order issued by Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar on October 11.
The decision followed a series of agitations in recent months that disrupted normal functioning in the New Delhi district, the administrative hub of the government.
Ramlila Maidan, in Central Delhi, is around 4 km from Jantar Mantar, while CBD Ground in East Delhi is 12-13 km away and Burari Ground in North Delhi is nearly 21 km from the existing protest site.
(With inputs from PTI)
