Student outfits agitate across Delhi, seek Jantar Mantar's restoration as protest site

NEW DELHI: Student and youth organisations, including the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), Students' Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), held protests at different locations here on Wednesday, demanding restoration of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site and resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The demonstrations came days after Delhi Police denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue, drawing criticism from opposition parties and student organisations. The protesters said the move restricted space for peaceful demonstrations and reiterated their demand for accountability over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

A senior police officer said heavy security arrangements had been made during the protest march from Patel Chowk to Jantar Mantar. Since the site had been denotified, some protesters attempting to reach it were detained, the officer said, adding that at least 50 protesters had been detained.

Led by IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib, Youth Congress activists marched from Patel Chowk metro station towards Jantar Mantar, raising slogans and waving the national flag and the Congress' Swaraj flag.

The IYC said the demonstration was aimed at defending the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and dissent, arguing that citizens must be able to question those in power. An organisation member said the fight was not merely for permission to protest at Jantar Mantar but to protect democratic space.

Meanwhile, SFI and DYFI activists attempted to march towards Jantar Mantar from Ferozeshah Road, raising slogans such as "Reclaim Jantar Mantar" and "Gyanesh Kumar must resign".

The Left-backed student organisations said Jantar Mantar should be reclaimed as a venue for public demonstrations and asserted that their agitation would continue.

They also said the protest was gaining strength as more people joined the campaign against the denotification of the site and alleged electoral irregularities.

Earlier in the day, the IYC intensified its campaign against Kumar by installing hoardings at several locations in central Delhi, including outside the Congress headquarters at 24 Akbar Road, Indira Bhawan and the youth wing's national office. The hoardings carried the slogan "Shiv ki Baraat".

The imagery drew on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's description of the Opposition's campaign against Kumar, in which he invoked Lord Shiva's 'tandav' to signal an intensification of the political challenge. The youth wing said the hoardings were intended to take its protest message beyond the streets and reach a wider audience.

Delhi Youth Congress president Akshay Lakra said the organisation would continue questioning the functioning and credibility of the Election Commission of India. The IYC said it would pursue its campaign through democratic means and public mobilisation, stressing the need to protect electoral institutions and democratic rights.

Separately, Gandhi on Wednesday met students, including members of the Congress' student wing NSUI, who were injured during recent protests against Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise. The meeting took place at 10 Janpath, where the students recounted their alleged mistreatment during detention.

Gandhi asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to come in the way of protesting students, describing them as the voice of the country. He also assured the injured protesters that action would be taken against those responsible for their alleged mistreatment, from the prime minister to the police constable.

The meeting came amid allegations by some protesters of inhuman treatment by police during detention. The students shared accounts of their experiences, while the Congress leader expressed support for their demand for accountability and said evidence of the alleged incidents would be used to pursue action against those responsible.