Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: CJP calls for nationwide peaceful protests on July 24 in solidarity with victims of police brutality

Heavy crowds gather near the Jantar Mantar protest site as Rapid Action Force personnel are deployed to maintain security on July 23, 2026.

The Kolkata Police received two emails seeking permission to hold a rally in the city under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Friday (July 24), a senior police officer said.

Appropriate action will be taken after verifying the authenticity of the emails, the officer said on Thursday (July 23).

The two communications, dated July 19 and July 21, were sent to the Joint Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) and the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), respectively, seeking their approval to organise the march.

-PTI

The Cockroach Janta Party, leading the protests, has called for nationwide peaceful protests on Friday (July 24) against the police brutality on students in Delhi on July 20. 

Shops, offices and restaurants in Connaught Place will close from 6.30 p.m. on Thursday (July 23, 2026) following an advisory issued by the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA), citing the prevailing situation in and around the area.

In an advisory circular issued on Thursday (July 23, 2026), the traders’ body said the decision was taken following telephonic advice from the Chairperson and Vice-chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), who asked that all commercial establishments in Connaught Place shut for the day by 6.30 p.m.

The Cockroach Janta Party has rejected Union Minister Jitendra Singh’s offer. CJP says either the Ministers should come to Jantar Mantar or hold the talks at a neutral venue.

The Ministers said that people are angry and they won’t be able to come there, said Ashutosh Ranka of the CJP. “Do not waste our time,” he said.

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Centre invites protesters for talks at J.P. Nadda’s office; CJP rejects offer

Protests continue in Delhi as the Cockroach Janta Party rejects government dialogue offers, demanding student rights and Education Minister’s resignation.

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Union Minister Jitendra Singh extends an open invitation to youth leaders to discuss the ongoing protests and paper leak issues. He says it’s a not a prestige issue for the government and he along with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda are ready for discussion, either at Mr. Nadda’s residence or office, beyond any time-limit.

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Union minister J.P. Nadda on Thursday (July 23, 2026) invited the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) for talks, but its leaders turned down the proposal, sources said.

On Wednesday (July 22, 2026) too, the CJP had been invited for talks with Mr. Nadda, but it turned down the invitation, saying it will hold talks with the government only at a neutral venue.

“An invitation was sent to the CJP by J.P. Nadda for talks today, but those sitting on the stage at the protest site turned down the invitation,” a source told PTI.

– PTI

Police are stopping autorickshaws and getting students out of autorickshaws to stop them from going to the protest site, near Nizamuddin in Delhi. 

Students say they were not being allowed to go forward in central Delhi too, about 5 km from the protest site.

“We are only stopping students who are going to the protest as section 144 is in place. We are making them understand that they could get injured over there,” a police officer at the site said, adding that they were not stopping other vehicles or people in autorickshaws going for other work.

– Nikhil M. Babu

Social activist Anna Hazare observed a two-hour-long maun andolan (silent protest) at Ahilyanagar in Maharashtra to extend his support for protesting students in Delhi.

“Anna began his protest at 11 a.m. and ended it at 1 p.m.,” the social activist’s aide Datta Awari told PTI.

Mr. Hazare, who held the protest at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Ahilyanagar, later left for his village Ralegan Siddhi, located in the same district.

Mr. Hazare wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) saying “the news of…violence and police action…is extremely painful”.

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– PTI

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge says that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign before any discussion can happen in Parliament.

SFI and DYFI cadres stage a protest in Guindy, Chennai, on Thursday (July 23, 2026) against NEET examinations, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo appealed to not associate violence elsewhere in Delhi to the protests at Jantar Mantar. “The students’ protest is taking place peacefully at Jantar Mantar. If there are reports of violence elsewhere in Delhi, please do not rush to attribute them to this movement without evidence. Those who genuinely know these young people have seen their extraordinary patience, discipline and restraint,” she said in a social media post.

“I often wonder: what kind of system is so quick to distrust its own students? Why is it easier to question their intentions than to hear their concerns? Our children deserve to be protected, not portrayed as villains. Their voices deserve to be heard, not drowned out by narratives that serve vested interests,” she said in a post. 

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CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka reacted to PM Modi’s announcement of fast-track courts and said that the real issue to be addressed is why paper leaks happen.

“The welfare of the youth and their bright future is both the highest priority and the resolve of the Modi government. The decision to expedite hearings and take stringent action against the guilty in paper leak cases through the establishment of fast-track courts by the Prime Minister is a reflection of this very commitment,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah says.

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Vikas Singh on Thursday (July 23, 2026) drew Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant’s attention to the inconvenience caused to lawyers by the closure of the Supreme Court Metro station.

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Delhi Police has registered a FIR for violence at Sansad Marg where two Assistant Commissioners receiving “grievous injuries” on Wednesday (July 22, 2026).

The police have also denied the claims circulating that the girl at hospital has died, saying it’s fake news.

The Opposition, across political parties, reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance of setting up fast-track courts for paper leak cases, insisting on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

“You are the one who has harmed the future of our youth the most. You allowed and encouraged the total capture and destruction of our education system – and protected every person responsible for it. The students’ demands are clear: 1. Sack Dharmendra Pradhan. 2. Apologise to the students. 3. Take action against those who assaulted them,” Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said in a social media post.

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in response to PM Modi’s announcement on paper leak cases said, “Education system has corroded under your watch. We do not need platitudes or peacemeal announcements.”

He added, “Youth only want 3 simple demands to be fulfilled 1) Immediately sack Education Minister Pradhan 2) Apologise for the punitive action & atrocities 3) Provide justice to those who you targeted.”

Responding to Prime Minister Modi’s X post on paper leak, Rahul Gandhi reiterated three demands of the students, “sack Dharmendra Pradhan, apologise to students and take action against those who assaulted students.”

After PM Modi announced the decision to set up fast-track courts to probe paper leak cases, Abhijeet Dipke, commenting on the closure of 16 metro stations, said, “Modi is ready to shut down all of Delhi, but not sack Dharmendra Pradhan.”

CJP said ‘Dharmendra Pradhan Must Resign’ in response to PM Modi’s assurance for investigation into paper leak cases.

PM Modi said on Thursday (July 23, 2026) in a post on X, “We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard. This continues our series of steps for safeguarding the interests of students.”

“People are being sent from outside to deliberately disrupt the protest. We have been sitting here for a month. No such incident has happened in a month. But now, as this protest has grown, goons are being sent from outside by the BJP to deliberately incite people,” said CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday (July 23, 2026).- ANI

Mumbai Police register 13 offences related to the protests in the city in support of the Cockroach Janta Party.

The FIRs have been registered since July 18, 2026, under various sections related to unlawful assembly and breach of prohibitory orders. Around 400 persons have been named as accused in these FIRs. – Vinaya Deshpande

As the day starts on Thursday (July 23, 2026), Jantar Mantar braces for another day of protest demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

“We won’t call off our protest until our demands are met and Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.. We won’t let Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike go in vain,” says CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke. – PTI

Delhi metro rail corporation closed 16 metro station on Thursday (July 23, 2026) till furtuer notice. It has said that interchange facility will remain available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House and Central Secretariat.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) against the forcible shifting of activist Sonam Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar protest site to Safdarjung Hospital on the 21st day of his hunger strike.

A Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that the issue of Mr. Wangchuk’s hospitalisation at Safdarjung Hospital was earlier raised by his wife before the high court and the matter was “disposed of to their satisfaction”.