Delhi- Ahead of the call for a massive protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10, reports of police action, including the cancellation of trains, restrictions affecting metro services, internet ban, prohibitory orders and appeals asking people not to join the demonstration, have brought the right to protest back into focus. Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has argued that Jantar Mantar is a designated protest site and that people should not need permission to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to dissent. However, the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and the rules governing demonstrations at a particular venue are distinct legal questions.
How did Jantar Mantar become one of India’s most recognisable spaces for dissent? When did demonstrations begin taking place here, and how did a historic astronomical observatory near the seat of political power acquire a second identity as a venue for public protest? From the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare to veterans’ demands for One Rank, One Pension, the farmers’ agitation and the wrestlers’ protest, let us revisit the history of Jantar Mantar and examine the movements that brought public grievances into the national spotlight.
The story begins with a different protest venue: the Boat Club lawns near India Gate and the ceremonial heart of New Delhi. Before Jantar Mantar became synonymous with public demonstrations, Boat Club was one of the capital’s principal spaces for mass political mobilisation.
In October 1988, farmers led by Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Mahendra Singh Tikait assembled in Delhi in a massive demonstration demanding action on agricultural and economic issues. The agitation brought large numbers of farmers, along with their cattle and bullock carts, into central Delhi.
The movement became a defining moment in the history of public demonstrations in the capital. Reports at the time described an occupation involving hundreds of thousands of farmers, with the frequently cited estimate reaching around five lakh. The Rajiv Gandhi government eventually gave assurances on the farmers’ charter of demands.
The scale of that agitation also demonstrated the disruption that a prolonged mass gathering could cause in the capital. As the Ram Janmabhoomi–Babri Masjid movement intensified, restrictions were imposed on gatherings at Boat Club.
The authorities were left with a difficult question: where could people demonstrate against the government without allowing another mass occupation of the lawns around the seat of power?
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II constructed five astronomical observatories between 1724 and 1735 at Delhi, Jaipur , Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura (now demolished). The observatory at Delhi was the first Jantar Mantar to be built and later served as the model for the larger observatory at Jaipur. The term “Jantar Mantar” is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit words: Yantra: Instrument Mantra: Formula or calculation Together, the name refers to instruments used for astronomical observations and calculations.
The story of Jantar Mantar as a regular protest destination dates to 1993. Importantly, it did not begin with a specific law or a formal government notification declaring the site a permanent protest venue.
Instead, the road adjoining the observatory gradually became an established location for demonstrations. Its proximity to Parliament and government offices made it politically significant, while its relatively narrow layout and manageable access points made it easier for the authorities to regulate than the expansive Boat Club lawns.
Jantar Mantar thus developed through practice rather than a single official declaration. Over time, protesters, political organisations, unions, pensioners, students and people seeking justice began gathering there to draw attention to grievances that they believed had gone unheard.
This distinction matters: Jantar Mantar’s reputation as a protest hub is the result of decades of use, not a historical monument’s original purpose or a single notification.
Long before it became a meeting point for political dissent, Jantar Mantar was built to observe the sky.
The Delhi observatory was constructed in 1724 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur, a ruler with a strong interest in mathematics and astronomy. It was one of five observatories associated with him, the others being in Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura. The Mathura Jantar Mantar no longer exists as it was demolished just before the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
Its monumental masonry instruments were designed to measure astronomical positions and help calculate the movements and timings of celestial bodies. The complex includes instruments such as the Samrat Yantra, Jayaprakash Yantra and Misra Yantra. Delhi Tourism notes that surrounding buildings have reduced the accuracy of observations that can now be made from the site.
The observatory’s scientific purpose and its modern political identity are different chapters of the same place’s history. The astronomical instruments were built to measure the heavens; the adjoining street would eventually become a place where citizens tried to make the government listen.
Three features help explain its continuing importance.
First, proximity to political power. Jantar Mantar lies on Parliament Street in central Delhi, less than two kilometres from Parliament, according to reporting on the site’s protest history. This places demonstrators close to the institutions they want to influence.
Second, visibility. A demonstration at a recognised protest location in the national capital can attract journalists, political representatives and national attention. For individuals who have travelled from distant states to seek justice, the venue offers a chance to turn a local grievance into a public issue.
Third, continuity. Because different movements have used the same location over several decades, Jantar Mantar has acquired a symbolic identity. A protest there is not merely a gathering on a Delhi street; it is part of an established tradition of public dissent.
Yet proximity does not guarantee a meeting with ministers, acceptance of demands or a change in policy. The results of a protest depend on the issue, public support, political response, legal proceedings and the wider course of a movement.
2011 Anna Hazare Anti-Corruption Movement:
One of the defining demonstrations in Jantar Mantar’s history began when social activist Anna Hazare launched a hunger strike demanding a strong Lokpal law to address corruption. Activists including Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan became associated with the campaign.
The agitation helped turn the Lokpal issue into a major national political question. The movement subsequently expanded beyond Jantar Mantar, contributing to a broader political mobilisation and the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act was eventually enacted in 2013, although the legislation’s passage cannot be attributed to one protest alone.
2015 Ex-servicemen’s One Rank, One Pension agitation
Ex-servicemen made Jantar Mantar a prominent location for their campaign demanding One Rank, One Pension (OROP), under which military pensioners of the same rank and length of service were to receive equal pensions irrespective of their retirement date, subject to the scheme’s terms.
The prolonged agitation brought veterans’ pension concerns into national political debate. The Union government announced the OROP scheme in November 2015. Its implementation, interpretation and subsequent revisions remained subjects of debate. The announcement followed a wider campaign and political negotiations, rather than being the result of a single gathering.
2021 Kisan Sansad:
During the farmers’ agitation against the three central farm laws, protesting farmers held a parallel Kisan Sansad at Jantar Mantar in July 2021 after receiving permission for the gathering.
The event was part of the larger farmers’ movement, whose principal protest camps were at Delhi’s border points. In November 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government would repeal the three laws, and Parliament subsequently passed the repeal legislation.
Jantar Mantar was one venue in a much larger mobilisation that involved prolonged demonstrations, negotiations and political pressure across the country.
2023 Wrestlers Protest
Elite wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, returned to Jantar Mantar to demand action against then Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment.
The protests brought questions about athlete safety, institutional accountability and the handling of sexual harassment complaints into national focus. The allegations were investigated through the legal process; they must be distinguished from findings of guilt.
The demonstrators were removed from the protest site on 28 May 2023 as a new Parliament building was inaugurated nearby. The episode also renewed debate about the conditions under which citizens can protest near important government institutions.
2026: Student anger over NEET paper leak & exam irregularities
During June and July 2026, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by founder Abhijeet Dipke, launched a series of massive, prolonged on-ground protests at Jantar Mantar, demanding the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged paper leaks and systemic irregularities in national exams, including the NEET-UG 2026.
Following a viral social media movement, the CJP held its first major street protest on June 6, 2026, drawing thousands of students and youth. It marked the first large-scale agitation at Jantar Mantar since the 2023 wrestlers' protest.
The CJP staged a second highly organized demonstration on June 20. Despite the Delhi Police ordering them to vacate the premises by 5 PM, Dipke and his supporters refused, continuing the sit-in in the dark without water using mobile phone lights. The indefinite sit-in drew strong backing from Left-wing student organizations and farmer unions. Dipke publicly called on farmers across India to join the students in solidarity.
The campaign gained significant momentum when climate activist Sonam Wangchuk joined Abhijeet Dipke at Jantar Mantar to begin an indefinite hunger strike. The campaign culminated successfully after education minister Dharmendra Pradhan eventually resigned on July 25.
For years, demonstrations at Jantar Mantar had become a familiar feature of Delhi’s public life. But the practice came under legal challenge.
On 5 October 2017, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered authorities to stop demonstrations, public gatherings, speeches and loudspeaker use on the relevant stretch of Jantar Mantar Road. The tribunal directed that protesters be shifted to Ramlila Maidan.
The proceedings followed complaints by residents about noise, waste, unhygienic conditions and the prolonged occupation of the road by protesters. The NGT also noted that the stretch was classified as a residential area under the applicable Delhi Master Plan and that there was no executive order formally designating it as a protest site.
The order threatened to remove a long-established platform from people who had used it to pursue grievances against public authorities.
Among those affected were farmers’ groups and individual protesters who had been sitting in protest for extended periods. They challenged the restrictions, arguing that peaceful assembly was a constitutionally protected right.
Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan v. Union of India
The Supreme Court considered appeals challenging the NGT’s restrictions in Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan v. Union of India, decided on 23 July 2018.
The Court recognised that peaceful protest and public assembly are fundamental rights protected by Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution. At the same time, it emphasised that these rights must be balanced against the rights of residents and others affected by demonstrations.
Rather than treating a complete prohibition as the only solution, the Court directed the Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, in consultation with the relevant agencies, to devise a mechanism for the limited use of the area for demonstrations. The mechanism was to regulate protests so that they did not disturb residents or offices along Jantar Mantar Road. The Court also contemplated prior permission and guidelines for deciding applications.
This ruling is central to understanding Jantar Mantar today. It did not establish an unrestricted right to occupy any part of the road indefinitely. Nor did it declare that every proposed demonstration must automatically be permitted.
Instead, it sought to reconcile two legitimate concerns: the constitutional right to peaceful dissent and the need to regulate gatherings in a densely occupied urban area.
Following the legal proceedings, Delhi Police introduced conditions for demonstrations at the site. The protest site was formally regulated through Delhi Police Standing Order 309 (2003).
The order prescribed different venues based on the expected size of the gathering:
Up to 5,000 participants: Jantar Mantar
5,000 to 50,000 participants: Ramlila Maidan
Above 50,000 participants: Burari Grounds
Larger gatherings: Narela
Following the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order in 2017 and the Supreme Court judgment in 2018, Delhi Police issued Standing Order 10 (2018).
Under the revised framework:
Jantar Mantar can accommodate protests of up to 1,000 people. Larger demonstrations are permitted only at Ramlila Maidan. Organisers must comply with conditions relating to crowd size, duration, loudspeakers, and security arrangements.
On 9 October, Delhi Police denied permission for the CJP protest proposed for the following day. Joint Commissioner of Police Nupur Prasad reportedly said applications for demonstrations or other programmes at Jantar Mantar must be submitted at least ten days in advance. The police cited the prevailing law-and-order situation, public safety and traffic regulations, and alleged non-compliance with earlier conditions by the organisers.
Its location offers protesters a combination of access, visibility and historical recognition.
Near the seat of government: Its location in central Delhi puts demonstrators within a short distance of Parliament and important government offices.
A recognised address for dissent: Journalists, civil society groups and political representatives are familiar with the location as a protest venue.
A platform for smaller groups: Its history includes not only large movements but also individual protesters and groups with limited resources seeking attention for specific grievances.
A place for sustained mobilisation: Subject to permission and applicable conditions, it has accommodated demonstrations extending beyond a single day.
A symbol that travels beyond Delhi: Images and reports of protests at Jantar Mantar are often carried nationally, giving local grievances a wider audience.
Jantar Mantar’s story is not simply about a monument becoming a protest site. It is about the relationship between citizens and the institutions that govern them.
The people who assemble there may have very different demands: a farmer seeking relief, a veteran seeking pension parity, a student demanding examination accountability, a sportsperson alleging institutional failure, or a citizen seeking justice in a personal dispute.
Their causes, the strength of their evidence and the outcomes they achieve vary. What connects them is the attempt to make a grievance visible in the national capital.
The history also exposes a continuing democratic tension. Governments must maintain public order, protect residents and secure important institutions. Citizens, meanwhile, must have meaningful opportunities to assemble peacefully and express dissent. The Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment acknowledged both sides of this balance.
Jantar Mantar’s significance therefore cannot be measured only by the number of protesters or the size of a crowd. Some movements have helped shape legislation or public policy; others have drawn attention to issues without securing immediate results. Even when demands remain unresolved, a protest may leave behind a public record of what people asked their government to address.
You can also join our WhatsApp group to get premium and selected news of The Mooknayak on WhatsApp. Click here to join the WhatsApp group.