UPA allocated Jantar Mantar for BJP protests, says Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury made a sharp political statement regarding Jantar Mantar, claiming the UPA government had allocated the site specifically to allow the BJP to conduct protests. He alleged that during the Congress-led era, Jantar Mantar was designated as a protest space to enable the BJP to hold demonstrations without obstruction.

Chowdhury expressed criticism over what he called a reversal, noting that the same BJP party that benefited from Jantar Mantar's availability has now issued directives against protests at the same venue. He described this as contradictory and questioned the shift in approach.

The Home Ministry recently removed Jantar Mantar from authorized protest sites and designated three alternative locations: Ramlila Grounds near New Delhi Railway Station, Burari Grounds on the city's outskirts, and CBD Ground in Shahdara, East Delhi. Chowdhury asserted that the right to protest is a constitutional guarantee. He emphasized that Parliament, the Executive, and the Judiciary must all operate within the framework of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens freedom of speech and expression.