New Delhi: The Delhi Police has granted permission to protesters associated with the ‘Arakshan Hatao’ (Remove Reservation) movement to gather at Ramlila Maidan. The police issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the organisers on Friday, allowing them to hold a peaceful protest at the venue. Notably, the Delhi Police had previously denied permission for this movement.
There is criticism on social media regarding the significant delay in granting this permission. The permission is subject to cancellation if any irregularities occur due to the protesters’ actions at Ramlila Maidan. The police have established several rules that must be strictly adhered to.
Permission for the number of participants
The Delhi Police announced on the social media platform ‘X’ that an NOC has been issued for a peaceful protest at Ramlila Maidan on August 21. According to a letter issued by the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central District, Daryaganj), Harsh Dubey and Abhishek Agnihotri have been granted permission to hold a peaceful protest at Ramlila Maidan with a maximum of 500 participants.
As per the Delhi Police’s permission, the protest can only continue until 4:00 PM. The permission may be revoked if the rules are violated before this deadline. Therefore, all protesters have been urged to maintain discipline and conduct the protest peacefully.
Permission to be cancelled upon any violation
The letter issued by the Delhi Police explicitly states that activities such as processions or unauthorised gatherings are not permitted. Protesters are required to comply with all instructions and guidelines issued by police officials from time to time. Any violation of these rules will result in the immediate cancellation of the NOC.
Crowds begin gathering at Jantar Mantar as well.
The Delhi Police has officially shared this public notice on its social media account. While sharing the information, they appealed to everyone to abide by the law and maintain peace. The Delhi Police issued this letter through the concerned Kamala Market Police Station. Meanwhile, the organisers of the protest claimed that the number of people gathering at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to voice their opposition to caste-based reservation is steadily increasing. Participants are voicing their demands and registering their protest regarding the existing reservation system. The police are keeping a close watch on the situation.
Abolish Reservation’ Issue Gains Traction on Social Media
It is worth noting that, much like the CJP movement, the ‘Abolish Reservation’ movement also originated on social media. An appeal was made on a webpage urging people to unite against reservation, drawing interest from a large number of individuals. Only the coming days will reveal the extent of the impact this social media-driven voice will have on the ground.
