It began with a peaceful march carrying flowers for police officers. By late afternoon, the main protest platform at Jantar Mantar had been completely dismantled.
“India has been brutally attacked today,” the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said on Monday evening, a day after police brutality on students marching towards Parliament.
The ‘Chalo Sansad’ rally, organized to protest examination violations and demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, clashed with a wall of heavily deployed security personnel as the protesters tried to reach Parliament on the opening day of the monsoon session.
It began with a peaceful march carrying flowers for police officers, in line with the Justice and Development Party’s call for a peaceful demonstration. By late afternoon, the main protest platform at Jantar Mantar had been completely dismantled by policemen.
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Scattered among the debris were some pictures, some books, and even a statue, as seen in the photo shared by the CJP.
CJP’s Chalo Sansad rally on July 20
The day began under heavy security guard. Delhi Police announced on Sunday night that no permit had been granted for the march, but protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar anyway. Hindustan Times found the protest site heavily barricaded before the march. Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed since morning.
Many protesters claimed that some security personnel did not have visible name tags, as seen in videos circulating on X.
Around 10 am, protesters started marching from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament, where the monsoon session was scheduled to begin. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers and opposition leaders were in the assembly.
As the crowds increased at the protest site, students began climbing over the iron barriers to cross and continue their march.
Then the security forces responded with a heavy attack.
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Videos widely circulated on social media showed Delhi Police repeatedly hitting protesters with wooden batons. Some of them were seen bleeding from their heads, while others were carried by their fellow protesters. Many participants claimed that they were repeatedly beaten even after they fell to the ground.
The AKP claimed that women and children were also assaulted.
“We were treated like terrorists,” said one student protester, as shared by the CJP in a video.
Among those arrested and injured in the brawl was prominent content creator Ramit Verma, also known as ‘PeeingHuman’.
“They opened my head,” he said, bleeding profusely.
Sonam Wangchuk’s wife was allegedly assaulted
CJP spokesperson Sourav Das and party founder Abhijit Debki alleged that Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmu, was assaulted by the Delhi Police and her hair was pulled in the process.
On July 18, Wangchuk was removed from the protest site and forcibly hospitalized by Delhi Police, citing health issues and a Supreme Court order. He is on the 23rd day of his indefinite hunger strike.
“In response to police brutality against protesters, Sonam Wangchuk has decided to continue his fast,” the CJP said, sharing a handwritten note from Safdarjung Hospital.
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The CJP also claimed that the clothes of the female protesters were torn.
Delhi Police disputed the allegations. In a fact-checking post on
Earlier, Delhi Police told HT that some protesters pelted stones at security personnel. No video evidence has been found for this claim.
Instead, a video circulated on social media showed police throwing stones at barricades towards protesters.
Mobile internet services were also shut down at the protest site.
Tear gas bombardment of demonstrators
The demonstrators, near the Indian Press Club, were also subjected to tear gas canisters by Delhi Police.
Footage from the ground showed thick clouds of smoke filling the street as demonstrators ran for cover. Many of them were seen coughing, rubbing their eyes and complaining of a burning sensation in the throat. Videos shared by the CJP also showed what looked like tear gas grenade casings on the road.
Police personnel were also seen standing with firearms pointed towards the protest area.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi of AAP said: “The youth of this country have taken to the streets. The charge of inhuman inhumanity and use of tear gas against peaceful protesters is shameful and condemnable. I stand with the students.”
Policemen were also injured, HT found.
Delhi Police says videos of assault were ‘rumours’
Delhi Police had earlier also denied reports of violence at Jantar Mantar.
“Some clips from the media have reported sporadic use of violence/arrests at Jantar Mantar by Delhi Police. It has been reported that no such incident occurred and the protest is being handled professionally. Everyone is requested not to fall prey to any rumours/suspicions, and assist Delhi Police in maintaining peace and public order at and around the site,” the police said.
Neha Bora, a PhD researcher at Jawaharlal Nehru University, who ended her 23-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar today, responded to this post. “Such lies and overt propaganda! We have seen it with our own eyes, we have all experienced your violence ourselves! Shame on you Delhi Police,” she said.
Justice and Development Party protests continue
During the day, CJP leaders met Union Minister JP Nadda at his residence after the government reportedly approached them. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the delegation placed three demands before the minister – immediate release of Sonam Wangchuk from hospital, resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, $1 crore as compensation to the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide.
But hours later, Ranka said the government had not responded to the demands. Debaki said that the protest will continue until Pradhan’s resignation, starting at 10 p.m.
(With inputs from Himani Bhandari, Karishma Ayaldasani, Jignasa Sinha and Shivam Pratap Singh)
