Delhi Police tells Supreme Court why Jantar Mantar was removed as a protest site
New Delhi: Delhi Police has presented its stand in the Supreme Court on the decision to remove the historic Jantar Mantar from the list of authorised protest sites. Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, in a counter-affidavit, said the decision was taken on the basis of recommendations made by a committee constituted by the Union Home Ministry. According to the police, Jantar Mantar is no longer a suitable place for large protests.
The affidavit cited public safety, traffic congestion, crowd management, movement of emergency services and the security of important government establishments as the main reasons. The police said Jantar Mantar is essentially a public road, and declaring it a permanent protest site is not in the public interest.
According to the Police Commissioner, more than 1,300 protests are held there every year, while the estimated capacity of the site is about 1,500 people. On several occasions, the number of protesters exceeds the prescribed capacity. This affects the movement of ambulances and fire tenders and creates the risk of a stampede-like situation. Security concerns have also increased in view of the proximity of Parliament and other important institutions.
The police clarified that the decision was not taken suddenly after the Supreme Court’s order of October 9. The Home Ministry committee was constituted on August 26 and its report was received in September itself. The committee described Jantar Mantar Road as unsuitable for protests and suggested alternative locations.
Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and the CBD Ground in East Delhi have now been designated for protests. The police argued that the right to peaceful protest is important, but it must also be balanced with the rights of ordinary citizens to movement, employment and public facilities.
The police response has been filed before the Supreme Court in the matter. A final judicial decision on the legality of removing Jantar Mantar from the list is still awaited.
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