Drawing the CJP Protests: How art became a tool for resistance

As the CJP protests unfolded, artists turned to sketches, cartoons, and digital illustrations to document the movement in real time. Their works captured emotions, resistance, and the growing confrontation between students and authorities, creating a powerful visual archive that resonated across social media. (aanya mehta)

Anmol Granth: Emphasising the voice of an individual, Anmol Granth iterated that if one cares about preserving the soul of art, then the artists must use their skills to fight them. (@anmol.granth)

Atharv Salve: Atharv's portrait of Dr. BR Ambedkar, the Indian flag and the Constitution held by the children in the protest, went viral during the time of the protests. People also downloaded his art work and got it printed it for the protests. (@atharvcore)

Drawnk (Saurav): Digital artist Drawnk (Saurav) transformed scenes from the protests into evocative illustrations. His work, 'CLOUDS OF ACCOUNTABILITY' captured the emotional impact of the demonstrations and highlighted the experiences of young protesters on the ground. (@drawnk)

Prasad Bhat: Illustrator Prasad Bhat created one of the most widely shared artworks from the protests. His piece We Deserve Better depicted a wounded schoolboy facing an armed officer, becoming a powerful symbol of youth resistance and hope. (@prasadbhatart)

Preeti Panigrahi: Preeti's sketch was a direct satire on the constant questioning Gen Z receives about phone usage and screen time. The powerful sketch went viral on instagram with more than 8k likes. (@you.are.a.good.drawer)

Srishti Singh: Srishti's artwork was timed when Sonam Wangchuk was picked up from the Jantar Mantar protest site on July 18, 2026. It is a direct satire on the current status of Indian democracy. (@bysingping)