CJP march echoes 15 years of major Delhi protests
The attempted march by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) supporters towards Parliament on Monday, leading to clashes with the police and detentions, brought back memories of similar mass protests over the last 15 years in the national Capital. These included the 2021 tractor rally on January 26, where protesting farmers breached security at the Red Fort and or the 2012 Nirbhaya agitation, where ordinary citizens reached the doors of Raisina Hill.
The 2021 Republic Day tractor rally was among the biggest protests to witness a march towards central Delhi. As part of the year-long agitation against the three farm laws, later scrapped, many farmers entered the capital with tractors on January 26 after assembling at the city’s borders.
While the rally had been permitted on designated routes, a section of the protesters breached barricades, deviated from the agreed routes and headed towards central Delhi, leading to clashes with police. Some protesters also entered the Red Fort complex and hoisted the Nishan Sahib and farmers’ union flags from its ramparts. More than 300 police personnel were injured in the violence.
On Monday, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) supporters carrying the tricolour raised slogans and pushed through multiple police barricades while demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged paper leaks and examination irregularities. Police used force to stop the protesters from marching towards Parliament.
Attempts to march towards Parliament or other high-security areas in central Delhi have featured in several major protests over the years, with demonstrators seeking to press their demands before the Government.
The preparations on the ground appeared to indicate that the police believed the protest march would fizzle out before noon. The area around Jantar Mantar was extensively barricaded. Initially, around 2,000 personnel were deployed.
The Home Ministry also seems to have believed that the protest would not sustain. The initial internet shutdown order was issued from 6 am to noon. However, as the situation spiralled out of control, with protesters breaking barricades and clashing with police, the internet shutdown was extended till 6 pm.
As the crowd swelled, the DMRC closed five metro stations, ostensibly to prevent more protesters from reaching the site. However, this created chaos and an unending agony for the thousands of office-goers and commuters who remained stuck for hours.
The police’s primary objective was to prevent the march from reaching Parliament, where the first day of the Monsoon session was underway. The cops soon found that the use of mild force was insufficient to deter the crowd. As the day progressed, the situation only worsened. The police and security personnel were clearly taken aback.
The 2011 Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement was one of the largest public mobilisations witnessed in the capital. After Hazare’s arrest, thousands gathered outside Tihar Jail before he shifted to Ramlila Maidan, where his 13-day fast drew large crowds demanding a stronger Lokpal law.
The 2012 Nirbhaya protests saw thousands of students, young professionals and citizens gather at India Gate and Raisina Hill before repeatedly attempting to march towards Parliament and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Police responded with water cannons, tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowds.
The anti-CAA protests in 2019 and 2020 again saw large demonstrations across Delhi. Student protests at Jamia Millia Islamia and the prolonged sit-in at Shaheen Bagh drew thousands of people, while road closures, heavy police deployment and temporary Metro station closures became common during the agitation.
The year-long farmers’ protest against the three farm laws also turned Delhi’s borders into major protest sites. Thousands of farmers camped at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur after being stopped from entering the city, with the demonstrations continuing until the Centre repealed the laws.
In 2023, several leading wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar attempted to march towards the newly inaugurated Parliament building before being stopped and detained by Delhi Police, drawing nationwide attention.
Monday’s protest once again brought large crowds to the streets of central Delhi, adding to the list of major demonstrations that have unfolded in the national capital over the years.
