00:002011, Anna Hazare's iconic historic anti-corruption movement.
00:06A year later, 2012, protests demanding justice for Nirbhaya.
00:102019, demonstrations against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
00:14In 2023, wrestlers protesting against then-WFI chief Bridge Bushan Singh.
00:202026, months ago, protests over need paper leaks and examination reforms.
00:25What's the one commonality here that I'm referring to?
00:28The address, Jantar Mantar, a space where citizens from all walks of life
00:33gather to raise their voices, to demand accountability and fight for change.
00:38That may now be changing.
00:39Amid protests by opposition parties and civil society groups against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
00:44over the SIR exercise, the Delhi police has denotified Jantar Mantar
00:49as a designated protest site.
00:51Instead, three new venues have been designated for demonstrations.
00:55Which are they? Where will protesters go now?
00:59Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and the CBD Ground in Shadra.
01:04But here's the catch.
01:06Two of these venues are far away from central Delhi,
01:09the heart of the government and administration.
01:12To understand what this shift means, let's first look at the distances.
01:16Jantar Mantar is approximately 2km from parliament.
01:21Ramlila Maidan, around 6km away.
01:26CBD Ground in Shadra is about 14km away.
01:32Burari Ground, nearly 23km from parliament.
01:37That's huge.
01:37That difference is significant.
01:39A protest at Jantar Mantar places demonstrators in the heart of the national capital,
01:43close to parliament and the corridors of power.
01:46Moving demonstrations farther away may ease the immediate pressure on central Delhi.
01:51But it also raises a question.
01:52Will protests held away from the political centre
01:56command the same public and media attention?
01:58Because the location of a protest is important.
02:01As important, many would say, as the cause behind it.
02:03Then there's the question of capacity.
02:07Jantar Mantar can accommodate around 3,000 people.
02:11Push that even to 5,000.
02:13Ramlila Maidan can hold approximately 50,000.
02:17CBD Ground, 15,000.
02:19The Burari Ground can accommodate nearly 80,000 people.
02:23These new venues are huge.
02:25They offer more space.
02:26But filling that space, sustaining a demonstration over several days,
02:30could be a big challenge.
02:32Away from central Delhi, protests may also find it harder
02:35to attract spontaneous participation
02:38and that same focus of media attention.
02:41And the geography isn't the only hurdle.
02:43There's also the question of access and accountability.
02:46Take Ramlila Maidan, for instance.
02:48One of the three newly designated venues.
02:51It's jam-packed.
02:53And reportedly has only three dates available for booking this year.
02:57That's December 29th, 30th and 31st, New Year's time.
03:01Booking that 12-acre ground, which can accommodate around 50,000 people,
03:05requires an initial outlay of approximately 1.21 lakh rupees per day.
03:10That includes taxes and a refundable security deposit.
03:14It's the closest, but it's costly, full of hassles.
03:19The venue is booked through the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's Horticulture Department.
03:23A no-objection certificate from Delhi Police is mandatory before permission is granted.
03:28So you can't just gather at your own will and start protesting.
03:31You'll get a smaller portion available, free of charge,
03:34but it can accommodate only around 150 people.
03:36So take your pick, 150 of 50,000.
03:39Then there are traffic concerns.
03:41The ground lies in a busy commercial area,
03:43close to three hospitals and the MCD headquarters.
03:46Let's talk about the CBD ground in Shadra.
03:50Spread across 12 acres, maintained by the Delhi Development Authority.
03:54This is a popular venue for weddings, for large events.
03:58Its location amid densely populated residential and commercial areas
04:02raises questions about traffic management and the impact on surrounding neighborhoods.
04:07Then there's Burari ground.
04:08The largest of the three venues, it spans approximately 50 acres in northwest Delhi,
04:14but far from the capital's central administrative district.
04:18Its size offers room for massive gatherings, but its location raises a different concern.
04:23How visible will demonstrations held there be to policymakers, the media, the wider public?
04:29For example, during the 2024-25 farmers' protest,
04:33the ground was offered as a possible venue,
04:35but the farmers' unions rejected that proposal.
04:38They called it an open jail.
04:40They argued that its isolation and fencing would contain demonstrations
04:44and keep protesters away from public view.
04:47Imagine if the farmers didn't agree
04:49when leaders of, let's say, an opposition bloc protest here.
04:52Sounds like a big no to me.
04:54So what does this shift really mean?
04:57In simple terms, out of sight, out of mind.
05:01Janatar Mantar is more than just a location on Delhi's map.
05:04It's a stage where local grievances become national conversations.
05:08Dissent could unfold within sight of the country's power corridors.
05:11You may move away from here.
05:13You're unseen, unheard, most importantly, irrelevant.
05:17The government has made its decision.
05:19The opposition and civil society groups have raised concerns.
05:22Now the big question is,
05:23if you move the protest away from the corridors of power,
05:26will the voices still be heard?
05:28Will people now have to protest for the right to protest
05:31and for a place to protest?
