Delhi police blocked protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar on Thursday night as the government suspended mobile internet in the area [1, 2].
The crackdown highlights growing tensions between youth activists and the central government over the integrity of national examinations. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging his involvement in a leak of the NEET examination paper [1, 3].
The Home Ministry suspended mobile internet services within a 1.5-km radius of Jantar Mantar [2]. These services were cut from 4 p.m. until midnight [2]. Despite the restrictions and police barricades, a large crowd continued to gather at the site until approximately 1:30 a.m. on Friday [1].
Members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and various youth activists led the demonstrations. Some protesters were redirected or blocked near areas including Safdarjung Tomb [1]. The CJP has called for these demonstrations to expand into a nationwide protest [2].
Other activists have also drawn attention to the region's political climate. Sonam Wangchuk recently ended a 26-day fast [3].
Police maintained a heavy presence to prevent the crowd from breaching security perimeters. The suspension of digital communication tools is a recurring strategy used by authorities to disrupt the coordination of large-scale protests in the capital city [2].
“Protesters are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan”
The use of localized internet shutdowns and physical blockades suggests a high level of state concern regarding the mobilization power of youth-led movements. By targeting the communication infrastructure around Jantar Mantar, the government aims to prevent the real-time coordination and viral documentation of protests, while the focus on the NEET leak reflects a broader crisis of trust in the own administration's educational oversight.
