There is a long history of protests in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
If the path to strict law in the paper leak case turns out to be through Jantar Mantar, then the question arises whether there really is any Judge at Jantar Mantar. Why do people go there to protest and since when did the tradition start? The interesting thing is that Maharaj Sawai Jai Singh built this Astronomical Observatory in 1724 and it had nothing to do with protests for 270 years. After 1993, it gradually became India’s most symbolic democratic protest site, because protests started taking place at Jantar Mantar from 1993 itself. Till then, big political protests and rallies in Delhi used to take place at Boat Club which is near India Gate and Rajpath.
In the year 1988, under the leadership of farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, five lakh farmers staged a week-long protest at the Boat Club. Due to which the work in this entire VVIP area was affected. That is why the government banned big demonstrations at the Boat Club citing security and law and order.
After this, Jantar Mantar Road near India Gate started being used as a designated place for protests. Although no separate rules and regulations, no official notification was issued for this, yet Jantar Mantar became the main protest zone of Delhi.
Which movements took place at Jantar Mantar, how many demands were fulfilled?
Now let us know on which issues major movements took place here and how many demands were fulfilled.
- 2011 Anna Hazare’s Lokpal movement: This was one of the most widespread and most effective movements due to which the Lokpal Act was enacted in the year 2013. However, all the demands of Jan Lokpal were not fulfilled. But this movement brought a big change in Indian politics. Aam Aadmi Party is a political party born out of this movement.
Anti corruption movement.
- Demand for justice after 2012 Nirbhaya rape case: There were many legal changes related to faster judicial process, amendments in criminal laws, safety of women. However, the problem of women’s safety did not end completely.
- 2014 protests against the death of Nido Tania: Protests broke out after the murder of 20-year-old student Nido Taniyam from Arunachal Pradesh in Lajpat Nagar. Nido was the son of Arunachal Congress MLA Nido Pavitra. When he protested, the shopkeepers beat him up.
- 2017 Tamil Nadu farmers’ 40-day agitation: The 40-day agitation of farmers of Tamil Nadu in the year 2017 under the leadership of P. Ayyakannu, State President of National South Indian Rivers Jodo Farmers Union, was a unique and popular protest. The demands were a special drought relief package of Rs 40,000 crore to overcome the severe drought, complete waiver of all agricultural loans and early formation of the Cauvery Management Board, along with interlinking of all major rivers of South India and the country. In this movement, farmers shaved their heads and kept half their moustaches. Performed by pressing snakes and rats in the mouth. They reached Jantar Mantar carrying the skulls of farmers who had committed suicide and even whipped themselves. The movement ended after meeting and assurance from the then Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami. However, later this was done again from time to time when the demands were not met.
Photo of demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
- 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA): The protest law against this was not withdrawn, but the movement sparked a major debate at the national level and influenced the political discussion.
Demonstration to demand One Rank One Pension (file photo).
- One Rank One Pension (OROP): This long movement of ex-servicemen started with a relay hunger strike from June 2015, which ended when the government implemented OROP in November. However, many organizations continued to disagree on its draft.
- 2023 wrestlers movement: In the year 2023, under the leadership of Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, wrestlers staged a strike for the first time in January 2023 with serious allegations of sexual harassment against the then President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. It was postponed after the formation of the Assurance and Scrutiny Committee of the Sports Ministry.
Wrestlers’ movement.
When the investigation report was not made public, the wrestlers sat down again on 23 April 2023. The protest was postponed in June after meeting Sports Minister Anurag Thakur. Result- The matter was investigated, legal action was initiated on the allegations, but all the demands of the movement were not fulfilled.
- NEET exam paper leaked in July 2026: The movement started from this case remained adamant on the demand for education and examination reforms and the resignation of the Education Minister. The protest also ended with the resignation of the Union Education Minister on 25 July. Genji is seeing this as his big victory.
Apart from this, people also sit in protest at Jantar Mantar regarding their demands. One-day protests also take place there. It is not appropriate to judge the movement started from Jantar Mantar on the basis of success rate, but still it is not that all the demands were accepted in every movement started from there. There were many such small and big dharnas whose effect was limited only to awareness.
Therefore, Jantar Mantar is the platform where issues emerge at the national level but the final outcome depends on the theme of the movement, intentions, public support, political circumstances and the response of the government.
Also read: Delhi, Jaipur Why were 5 Jantar Mantars built in the country, how did they become the center of astronomical science?
