Security Tightened at Jantar Mantar Ahead of Protest Against Caste-Based Reservation; Permission Denied by Delhi Police

New Delhi: Security has been significantly stepped up at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Friday as individuals began arriving for a proposed protest against caste-based reservation, despite the Delhi Police officially denying permission for the gathering.

Following a public appeal calling upon those opposing the reservation system to reach the site at 10:00 AM, small groups of people started congregating in the area, prompting a swift response from the police.

The Delhi Police had explicitly clarified on Thursday that permission for the planned protest had not been granted.

Police have put up barricades at Jantar Mantar and deployed a large number of personnel in view of the proposed gathering. Apart from Delhi Police personnel, paramilitary forces have also been deployed at the site.

Earlier on Thursday, Delhi Police clarified that no permission has been granted for any protest on the issue of reservation reforms at Jantar Mantar on August 21, calling videos circulating on social media claiming otherwise "false and misleading".

In a statement, Delhi Police said, "Various videos are circulating regarding the alleged grant of permission for a protest, on the issue of reservation reforms, at Jantar Mantar on 21 August, which is false and misleading."

The police clarified that no permission has been granted to anyone to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar on August 21.

"It is further clarified that prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS (erstwhile Section 144 CrPC) are already in force in the New Delhi District," Delhi Police said. The police advised people not to amplify, forward, rely on or circulate unverified information regarding the alleged protest permission.

Accordingly, protest marches, processions, demonstrations and assemblies of five or more persons are strictly prohibited.

Legal action may be initiated against individuals found creating or disseminating fake news.

The clarification came after an organisation's official Instagram page, which has 5.6 million followers, shared a poster on Thursday announcing a "peaceful protest" at Jantar Mantar and urging people to join the gathering at 2 pm on August 21.

The statement came after the "Reservation Hatao Andolan", an Instagram-based page, called for a protest at Jantar Mantar. The platform rapidly gained traction by adopting the protest-mobilisation tactics of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and has now called for a physical protest against the reservation system on August 21. 

ALSO READ: Several Injured as Massive Crane Collapses on House in Mumbai's Kurla