Even though activist Sonam Wangchuk has ended his hunger strike and a Cockroach Janta Party delegation held a second round of talks with the central government on Friday, the protest at Jantar Mantar Road showed no signs of slowing down.
By Friday evening, the site was packed, with people waiting between 50 and 100 minutes in a long queue that stretched all the way to the Janpath metro station on Tolstoy Marg.
Groups of lawyers, NGO workers, farmer unions, and delegations from neighbouring states arrived through the day carrying banners and placards to show their support.
Pankaj Singh, a Rohini resident, said he waited two hours to get into the site. He said, “I felt like I was missing out on something historic, so I had to come. I’ve seen the reels of police violence. They mistreated wrestlers earlier, too. The government handles every issue like this.” Around him, the crowd alternated between patriotic songs and loud slogans from groups of young protesters.
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Protest to continue despite Wangchuk’s fast ending
Leaders speaking from the main stage thanked protesters for keeping up their support and made clear the agitation is far from over, even with Wangchuk breaking his 26 day fast.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said, “By risking his own life, Sonam sir has awakened an entire nation, and we are all grateful for what he has done for the country, but the protest at Jantar Mantar will continue. It is not a protest of one person or CJP alone, it has become a youth movement. We demand resignation of the education minister.”
He also took a jab at the central government over reports that union ministers were asked during Friday’s cabinet meeting to step up their presence on platforms like Instagram, where the movement has been gaining strong traction.
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Satish Deshpande, who came from Madhya Pradesh, echoed the same urgency. He said, “Once the momentum flags, the government will crush this movement just like it did with others. Now is the time to stand united.”
A wall of shame at the protest site
Protesters have put up a wall of shame displaying photographs of police personnel allegedly assaulting demonstrators during the July 20 Chalo Sansad march organised by the CJP.
They have demanded FIRs against officers involved in violence or sexual harassment and have asked people to send in photos and videos through the CJP website to help identify the personnel involved.
Appeals to stay peaceful
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While calls for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation continued from the stage, organisers repeatedly urged protesters to remain peaceful and avoid confrontations with security forces so the ongoing talks are not disrupted.
At the Sansad Marg barricades near the NDMC headquarters, a volunteer appealed for calm over loudspeakers, saying, “Sonam Wangchuk has broken his fast, and talks are underway for our remaining demands. Do not do anything that causes these talks to fail.” No major clashes between protesters and police were reported through the evening.
FAQs
1: Is the Jantar Mantar protest continuing after Wangchuk’s fast ended?
Yes. CJP leaders said the movement has grown beyond one person and will continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
2: What is the wall of shame?
A display at the protest site with photos of police personnel allegedly assaulting demonstrators during the July 20 march, used to demand FIRs against them.
