Following the resignation of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the CJP leadership requested all protesters to peacefully evacuate the Jantar Mantar protest site. However, there was no sign of the crowd’s departure by around 10 PM on Saturday and the people present there continued to click photographs, shoot reels and raise slogans.
Condition of the protest site
Despite the repeated requests by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders towards the protesters to vacate the protest site, the crowd showed no signs of complying. By 7 PM, police had removed some barricades at entry and exit points to ease movement, even as heavy security deployment remained, as per reports by Hindustan Times.
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By 8PM, police began making announcements for people to exit and as of 10PM, Sansad marg, Tolstoy Lane and the protest site remained packed.
People at the protest site danced, sang the national anthem, wept and jumped and also chanted slogans. New posters such “Yuva jaag gya, Pradhaan Bhaag gya” (Youth wakes up, Pradhan runs away) had come up after the resignation.
People celebrated at Connaught Place, Sansad Marg, Tolstoy Marg and by 10:15PM, police estimated the crowd strength at around 4,000.
Cleaning initiatives
People also volunteered to clean the area and on Tolstoy Road around 7:30PM, a human chain of volunteers formed a ring around four to five others who were sweeping the roads and collecting garbage in trash bags.
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As per Hindustan Times quoted in their report, one such volunteer, Alshifa Azmi said, “I have been cleaning since 4PM and haven’t got a chance to go inside the main site. I am not an official volunteer, but I saw people cleaning and decided to join. Now that the protest is over, I will stay as long as I can, to help.”
“Since there are multiple exits, groups like ours have been placed near each exit. Some are cleaning, others form a ring to give them space. We are also handling crowd control to ensure orderly exit till Rajiv Chowk,” said Aman Singh, a volunteer managing the crowd.
Between 7PM and 8PM, people were seen exiting, many chanting slogans. Several auto-rickshaws were stationed at Sansad Marg near Connaught Place and on Tolstoy Road near Gate 2 of Jantar Mantar Metro station.
Some protesters who came from other states began preparing to leave. One such protester, Praveen, said, “I came from Mumbai four days ago to show solidarity. I was staying at the gurudwara. I will take the train back on Sunday.”
FAQs
Who led the protests in Jantar Mantar?
The protests in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar were led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
What did protesters do after Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation?
After Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, people at the protest site danced, sang the national anthem, some also wept and jumped, while others chanted slogans.
