Delhi Police Block Anti-Reservation Protest at Jantar Mantar

The Delhi Police blocked an unauthorized protest against caste-based reservations at Jantar Mantar on August 21, 2026. Authorities had previously denied permission for the site, citing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita that banned assemblies of five or more people across the New Delhi district.

While police issued a no-objection certificate for the Instagram-led Reservation Hatao Andolan to gather at Ramlila Ground, the permit limited the event to 500 people until 4 PM. Organizers of the movement, which advocates for merit-based opportunities and a One Nation, One Identity framework, criticized the venue change as an attempt to limit their voice. Despite the restriction, protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar, where police deployed barricades and removed individuals to prevent an unauthorized assembly.

In a separate incident nearby, Rahul Gandhi staged a dharna at the Parliament Street Police Station to demand an FIR regarding alleged pellet gun injuries suffered by a student. The Bharatiya Janata Party responded by describing the Congress party as a party of anarchy following the sit-in.