Jantar Mantar Denotification As Protest Site BJP’s Defeat: Akhilesh
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
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday criticised the Delhi Police's decision to denotify Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site, calling it a "biggest defeat" for the BJP government and suggesting that demonstrators be given space on Lok Kalyan Marg, where the prime minister's residence is located.
In a post on X, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister alleged that the BJP is afraid of public anger and wants to keep people 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.
