Drums, drizzle, and ‘Jai Bhim’: The day ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest rocked Delhi

Just a few steps away from this massive crowd was 27-year-old IT professional Nitesh Verma from Jaipur. When asked about the reason behind his joining the march, he said: “The government is not ready to talk about the state of education… and accountability needs to be set.” He, along with two others from his office, had arrived at 4 am to take part in the march. “We will wait and are ready to stay back to join the protest if it spills over into the second day,” Verma added.

It was 11.48 in the morning on Monday, and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and layers of police barricades were in place to separate a sea of around 12,000 protesters who gathered there or were heading towards the Parliament from Jantar Mantar as part of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led ‘Sansad Chalo’ march. (Express Photo by Swapnil Joglekar)

Not only Verma and his colleagues, but many others like them travelled to Delhi from various parts of India — all bound by one cause: reform in the education system. When the crowds took to the streets on a rain-soaked Monday morning, it was no longer exclusively a Gen Z protest — people from different walks of life across age groups had joined in to support CJP and activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite hunger strike, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak. On Sunday, Wangchuk, however, agreed to end his fast after the Parliament march only if the Centre accepts responsibility for the scandal, and the MPs assure him (and the CJP) that the matter will be raised in the Parliament monsoon session that commenced on Monday.

Monday’s rally saw middle-aged men and women, including parents, aggrieved, yet unfettered by the blockade by the police, walk in solidarity towards the CJP’s cause. Seated on the green grounds behind the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel statue at Patel Chowk in Sansad Marg was a group of women who had travelled from Jhajjar in Haryana in the morning to extend support to the CJP-led movement. “We are for our kids’ future, and are ready to wait for how long it takes,” they said.

A group of women who had travelled from Jhajjar in Haryana to extend support to the CJP-led movement. (Express Photo by Swapnil Joglekar)

However, youngsters formed a substantial chunk. They made sure they were both heard and seen. Among many, one held a placard that read: ‘Tax do, chanda do, aur failed education system ki baat par chup raho (Pay taxes, pay donations, yet don’t talk about a failed education system.”)

The march faced multiple hindrances as the police blocked them at several intersections since morning. As the day advanced, the crowd swelled, and so did the rain. At some point, the protesters clashed with the police, and tear gas shells were fired. One of the protesters said the authorities were trying to wear out the protesters who have been sequestered in different parts between Jantar Mantar and Parliament, divided by rows of barricades. Double barricades were put up on either side of roads abutting government buildings. Multiple rows of Delhi police and a few riot control vehicles were lined up on the street.

Crackdown on CJP protesters in Delhi. (Express Photo: Praveen Khanna)

At a point during the day, a few people with placards seeking full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, too, appeared near the building of Central Bank of India and Jeevan Bima Nigam. Their voices chanting ‘Haq hamara statehood, chheen ke lenge apna haq‘ (Statehood is our right, will snatch our right) boomed, only to fizzle out soon, as drumbeats grew louder along with the rallying cries supporting the cause of the CJP protest that completed one month on Monday.