‘Ja nahi rahe the, andar ghus gaye’: Ashutosh Ranka on CJP members’ Jantar Mantar detention

On a recent Saturday, police forces at Jantar Mantar in Delhi detained several members of a civil society group identified as CJP. The activists had gathered at the historic protest site to voice concerns over recent government policies, but officials said they had not received permission to hold a march that would lead to the Supreme Court. When the police moved to enforce the ban, a number of participants were taken into custody, prompting a sharp response from the group’s spokesperson, Ashutosh Ranka.

Ranka, speaking to reporters after the incident, said, "They were not supposed to stay there, but they entered the area anyway." He argued that the police action was excessive and that the protesters were exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly. The police, on the other hand, maintained that the detention was necessary to prevent a breach of public order, citing concerns about crowd control and the potential for clashes with law‑enforcement personnel.

The episode adds to a series of recent confrontations between authorities and demonstrators in the capital. Jantar Mantar has long been a focal point for public dissent, and any restriction on its use tends to attract national attention. For readers in Delhi, the incident highlights ongoing debates about the balance between security measures and the right to protest, as well as the legal procedures that govern public gatherings in the city.