By The exchange followed Gandhi’s remarks earlier in the day, when the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha questioned the government’s handling of the case. He said peacefully waving the national flag at Jantar Mantar should not be treated as a crime and described the detention of young protesters as an act of “cowardice.” Gandhi also asserted that Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India and said it would be reclaimed.
BJP Defends Legal Action Over Jantar Mantar Protest
Responding in a post on X, Agarwal said Jantar Mantar’s removal from the list of designated protest sites had followed due legal process. He maintained that the Constitution protects the right to demonstrate but does not place protesters above the law.
“Rahul Gandhi, stop misleading the nation,” Agarwal said, adding that public spaces should not be turned into political battlegrounds. He argued that democracy must function within the framework of the Constitution rather than through street-level confrontations.
Agarwal also brought the debate over Kashmir into his response, accusing the Congress leadership of defending Article 370 for decades. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership with completing Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional integration with India, saying the national flag now flies proudly across the region.
The BJP leader further alleged that political actors should not use public spaces to create disorder in pursuit of power, reiterating that the rule of law must take precedence over political ambitions.
What Happened at Jantar Mantar?
According to police, Das, Ranka and other CJP members entered Jantar Mantar on Tuesday despite prohibitory orders. The group unfurled the national flag and raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The CJP has been demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The allegations relate to the electoral roll revision exercise, which has become a point of political contention.
Police said Das and Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody on Wednesday and lodged in Tihar Jail. They are accused of violating their peace bonds and trespassing at Jantar Mantar, which had been removed from the list of designated protest sites on Sunday.
The developments have brought two competing arguments into focus: Gandhi’s objection to the custody of protesters who displayed the national flag, and the BJP’s position that demonstrations must comply with legal restrictions. The dispute now centres on the circumstances of the protest, the grounds for the police action and the legal status of Jantar Mantar as a designated demonstration site.
