Why Jantar Mantar became Delhi's defining stage for public dissent

From Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement to the Nirbhaya protests and the NEET-UG row, Jantar Mantar has been a key centre of public dissent, with its de-notification reigniting concerns over the right to protest.

In Short

• Delhi Police de-notifies Jantar Mantar as designated protest site
• Jantar Mantar hosted major protests like Anna Hazare, Nirbhaya case
• Protest site symbolises citizen dissent near seat of power

Delhi Police's decision to de-notify Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site has brought renewed attention to one of the capital’s best-known venues for public dissent. For decades, the site has hosted major demonstrations, from Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement and the protests following the Nirbhaya case to the wrestlers' sit-in and demonstrations over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.

People from different walks of life have gathered at Jantar Mantar over the years to protest corruption, injustice and other issues concerning women’s safety and social change. For many, it offered a platform to amplify concerns that might otherwise have gone unheard. Its de-notification has now raised concerns about the shrinking of a space seen as being close to the seat of power.

One of the early major demonstrations at the site took place in 1993, when 33 organisations held a 'Jail Bharo' protest against the government's economic policies and communalism. The scale of the mobilisation was later highlighted in Parliament, where an MP said nearly 25,000 people had participated.

Nearly two decades later, Jantar Mantar became the focal point of a nationwide anti-corruption campaign. On April 5, 2011, Anna Hazare began a five-day hunger strike demanding a stronger Jan Lokpal Bill to tackle corruption. The protest gained momentum after the government agreed to set up a joint drafting committee comprising ministers and civil society representatives to prepare the proposed legislation. Hazare ended his fast on April 9, and the agitation went on to become one of the most prominent mass movements of the period.

In December 2012, Jantar Mantar and its surrounding areas emerged as key protest sites following the brutal gangrape of a woman in a moving bus in Delhi. The woman, who came to be known as Nirbhaya, later died of her injuries, triggering widespread outrage across the country. Thousands of protesters, particularly young people, took to the streets demanding justice and stronger laws to protect women.

In 2014, protests were held following the death of Nido Tania, a student from Arunachal Pradesh who was allegedly assaulted in southeast Delhi. The incident sparked anger over racial discrimination and violence against people from the Northeast, with demonstrators demanding justice and measures to prevent such attacks.

In 2017, Tamil Nadu farmers staged a 41-day protest at Jantar Mantar over agrarian distress. They sought relief from mounting debt, drought-related losses and other problems affecting their livelihoods.

The site again drew national attention in 2023 when prominent wrestlers, including Olympic medallists, staged a sit-in against then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The wrestlers accused him of sexually harassing women athletes and demanded his arrest and action against him.

In 2024, students and other protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, alleging irregularities in the conduct of the medical entrance examination and demanding accountability.

The issue returned to the forefront in 2026 amid another NEET-UG paper leak controversy, bringing renewed scrutiny of the examination system. The protests gathered momentum at Jantar Mantar before spreading to streets across the capital, culminating in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Pranav Raj Singh, a Delhi resident, told news agency PTI that he was a teenager when the Nirbhaya case shook the country.

“I was traumatised to learn that something so horrendous could happen in the national capital. When the protests began, I knew I had to be a part of them. I had to take a stand, so my friends and I went to Jantar Mantar,” he said.

For Singh, the site represents India’s tradition of dissent and the right of citizens to hold elected representatives accountable.

Rani Sharma, who participated in the Anna Hazare movement, said de-notifying Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue amounted to a curtailment of space for dissent.

“The proximity of Jantar Mantar to the highest offices of the government makes it an appropriate venue to raise one's voice and be heard. Its de-notification is a crackdown on dissenting voices,” she said.

Beyond large-scale agitations, Jantar Mantar has also drawn individuals who travelled from distant parts of the country in the hope of bringing their grievances to the attention of those responsible for addressing them.

Over the years, the significance of Jantar Mantar has rested not only on the size of the crowds it attracted but also on its proximity to the institutions that protesters sought to hold accountable.

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