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NGT bans protests at Jantar Mantar, civil society groups enraged

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9 years ago

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NGT bans protests at Jantar Mantar, civil society groups enraged

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The protest hotspot in the national capital was the venue of the 2011 Lokpal agitation by Anna Hazare which set the pace for UPA government’s ouster

The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) decision to ban all protests and dharnas around the historic Jantar Mantar area – a known hotspot of many an agitations over the past decades – on grounds that such activities violate environmental laws, has irked civil society groups that would often use the venue for raising their voice against the government on crucial issues.

On Thursday, the green panel had said that the Delhi government had “failed” to protect the right to a pollution-free environment of the citizens living in the area around Jantar Mantar. It had also reprimanded the authorities concerned for failing to ensure that right of the people to a peaceful and comfortable life are not infringed by those who create noise pollution while exercising their right to freedom of speech and expression, which the NGT said, “can never be unlimited”.

The NGT Bench headed by Justice RS Rathore directed the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to remove all temporary structures, loud speakers and public address systems from the stretch of the Jantar Mantar Road. The municipal body was also directed to remove the garbage lying in the area and clean it within four weeks.

The Tribunal directed the authorities to shift the protesters, agitators and people holding dharnas at Jantar Mantar to the Ramlila Ground near Old Delhi’s Ajmeri Gate “forthwith”.

The NGT’s verdict came on a plea filed by Varun Seth and others alleging that processions and agitations held by social groups, political parties, NGOs at the Jantar Mantar Road were a major source of noise pollution in the area.

“It is amply clear that the petitioners are suffering because of gross violation of laws, air pollution and health hazards due to lack of cleanliness and non- performance of duty by the authorities,” the Bench noted.

The NGT has ordered the NDMC chairman, the city Police Commissioner and the Delhi government to file compliance reports within five weeks.

The NDMC and Delhi police, which stand to obviously benefit from the ban – both outfits are under tremendous pressure when protests happen at Jantar Mantar since it is a VIP area and lies in close proximity to the Parliament – have welcomed the NGT’s order.

According to Delhi Police, on an average eight to ten demonstrations are held daily at Jantar Mantar. Till June 2017, 2,283 dharnas and demonstrations were held as compared to 1,921 in the same period during the year 2016.

It is at Jantar Mantar that social activist Anna Hazare had, in 2011, started his Lokpal agitation against the UPA government. Hazare’s agitation had forced the then Congress-led central government under Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to re-draft the Lokpal Bill after an unprecedented move of forming a joint committee of Union ministers and Hazare’s ‘civil society’ nominees. The agitation had also catapulted Arvind Kejriwal, then a mere activist of the India Against Corruption campaign, to become Delhi’s leading political figure – something that he used to good effect to launch the Aam Aadmi Party despite Hazare’s reservations and eventually sweep the Delhi assembly polls to become the state’s chief minister. Hazare’s protest had also drawn in people like yoga guru and businessman Ramdev, former Army chief General (retired) VK Singh (before he joined the BJP), advocate Prashant Bhushan, etc.

Jantar Mantar had also seen a major protest in 2015 by Army veterans who were demanding ‘One Rank One Pension’ and pay commission benefits. The agitation had hit the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government hard and forced it to consider the demands.

Understandably, civil society groups and common citizens who have used Jantar Mantar in the past as a protest venue are not happy with the NGT’s order. Several of these members and even journalists, who viewed Jantar Mantar as the only spot in the national capital where dissent against the Centre was not muzzled, took to Twitter and other social media platforms to vent their ire.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJoaSUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRUphbnRhci4lMjAlMjBNYW50YXIlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZoYXNodGFnJTJGS2FoYV9IYWlfVmlrYXMlM0ZzcmMlM0RoYXNoJTI2YW1wJTNCcmVmX3NyYyUzRHR3c3JjJTI1NUV0ZnclMjIlM0UlMjNLYWhhX0hhaV9WaWthcyUzQyUyRmElM0UlMjAlM0NiciUzRSVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNCVBRSVFMCVBNSU4NyUyMCUyMCVFMCVBNCVCNiVFMCVBNSU4OCVFMCVBNCU5NSUyMCVFMCVBNCVBOCVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNSU4MCUyMCVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNSU4OCUyMCVFMCVBNCU5QyVFMCVBNCVBOCVFMCVBNSU4RCVFMCVBNCVBNCVFMCVBNCVCMCUyMCVFMCVBNCVBRSVFMCVBNCU4MiVFMCVBNCVBNCVFMCVBNCVCMCUyMCVFMCVBNCVBQSVFMCVBNCVCMCUyMCVFMCVBNCVBQSVFMCVBNCVBMSVFMCVBNSU4NyUyMCVFMCVBNCVCMCVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNCVBOCVFMCVBNSU4NyUyMCVFMCVBNCU5NSVFMCVBNCVCRSUyMCVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNCVBRSUyMCVFMCVBNCVBOCVFMCVBNSU4RCVFMCVBNCVBRiVFMCVBNCVCRSVFMCVBNCVBRiUyMCVFMCVBNCU5NSVFMCVBNCVCRiUyMCVFMCVBNCVBRSVFMCVBNCVCRSVFMCVBNCU4MiVFMCVBNCU5NyUyMCVFMCVBNCU5NSVFMCVBNSU4QiUyMCVFMCVBNCVCMiVFMCVBNSU4NyVFMCVBNCU5NSVFMCVBNCVCMCUyMCVFMCVBNCVBQyVFMCVBNSU4OCVFMCVBNCVBMCVFMCVBNSU4NyUyMCVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNSU4OCUyMCVFMCVBNCU5NCVFMCVBNCVCMCUyMCVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNCVBRSUyMENCbCUyMCVFMCVBNCU5QyVFMCVBNCVCRSVFMCVBNCU4MiVFMCVBNCU5QSUyMCVFMCVBNCVBRSVFMCVBNCVCRSVFMCVBNCU4MiVFMCVBNCU5NyUyMCVFMCVBNCVCMCVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNSU4NyUyMCVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNSU4OCVFMCVBNSVBNCUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0LmNvJTJGd0JSN0lOVnVoQSUyMiUzRXBpYy50d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRndCUjdJTlZ1aEElM0MlMkZhJTNFJTNDJTJGcCUzRSUyNm1kYXNoJTNCJTIwUmFtZXNoJTIwJTI4JTQwUmFtZXNoMzIwOTI1MTUlMjklMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZSYW1lc2gzMjA5MjUxNSUyRnN0YXR1cyUyRjkxNjIzNjg1OTA5MjUwODY3MiUzRnJlZl9zcmMlM0R0d3NyYyUyNTVFdGZ3JTIyJTNFT2N0b2JlciUyMDYlMkMlMjAyMDE3JTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRmJsb2NrcXVvdGUlM0UlMEElM0NzY3JpcHQlMjBhc3luYyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMiUyRiUyRnBsYXRmb3JtLnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGd2lkZ2V0cy5qcyUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRSUwQSUyMCUwQSUzQ2Jsb2NrcXVvdGUlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMnR3aXR0ZXItdHdlZXQlMjIlMjBkYXRhLWxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUzRSUzQ3AlMjBsYW5nJTNEJTIyZW4lMjIlMjBkaXIlM0QlMjJsdHIlMjIlM0VUYWxraW5nJTIwb2YlMjBub2lzZSUyMHBvbGx1dGlvbiUyMGFuZCUyMGNsb3NpbmclMjBkb3duJTIwb2YlMjBKYW50YXIlMjBNYW50YXIlMjBhcyUyMHByb3Rlc3QlMjBzcGFjZSUyMCUyQyUyMHdpbGwlMjBiZSUyMGdvb2QlMjB0byUyMHN0b3AlMjAlMjYlMjMzOSUzQk1hbiUyMGtpJTIwQmFhdCUyMCUyNiUyMzM5JTNCJTIwYXMlMjBmaXJzdCUyMHN0ZXAuJTNDJTJGcCUzRSUyNm1kYXNoJTNCJTIwU2hhYm5hbSUyMEhhc2htaSUyMCUyOCU0MFNoYWJuYW1IYXNobWklMjklMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZTaGFibmFtSGFzaG1pJTJGc3RhdHVzJTJGOTE2MTgwMjQ1NDAwNjI1MTUyJTNGcmVmX3NyYyUzRHR3c3JjJTI1NUV0ZnclMjIlM0VPY3RvYmVyJTIwNiUyQyUyMDIwMTclM0MlMkZhJTNFJTNDJTJGYmxvY2txdW90ZSUzRSUwQSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMGFzeW5jJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyJTJGJTJGcGxhdGZvcm0udHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZ3aWRnZXRzLmpzJTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNFJTBBJTIwJTBBJTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRUphbnRhciUyME1hbnRhciUyMHN5bWJvbGlzZXMlMjB2aWJyYW50JTIwZGVtb2NyYWN5LiUyME9yZGVyJTIwdG8lMjBjbG9zZSUyMGl0JTIwaXMlMjBhbnRpJTIwZGVtb2NyYXRpYyUyQyUyMGFnJTIwc3Bpcml0JTIwb2YlMjBjb25zdGl0dXRpb24lMkMlMjBjdXJicyUyMGJhc2ljJTIwcmlnaHQlMjBvZiUyMGNpdGl6ZW5zLiUzQyUyRnAlM0UlMjZtZGFzaCUzQiUyMGFzaHV0b3NoJTIwJTI4JTQwYXNodXRvc2g4M0IlMjklMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZhc2h1dG9zaDgzQiUyRnN0YXR1cyUyRjkxNjE1MDgxMjk4Nzg5NTgwOCUzRnJlZl9zcmMlM0R0d3NyYyUyNTVFdGZ3JTIyJTNFT2N0b2JlciUyMDYlMkMlMjAyMDE3JTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRmJsb2NrcXVvdGUlM0UlMEElM0NzY3JpcHQlMjBhc3luYyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMiUyRiUyRnBsYXRmb3JtLnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGd2lkZ2V0cy5qcyUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRSUwQSUyMCUwQSUzQ2Jsb2NrcXVvdGUlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMnR3aXR0ZXItdHdlZXQlMjIlMjBkYXRhLWxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUzRSUzQ3AlMjBsYW5nJTNEJTIyZW4lMjIlMjBkaXIlM0QlMjJsdHIlMjIlM0VOR1QlMjBiYW5zJTIwSmFudGFyJTIwTWFudGFyJTIwcHJvdGVzdHMlMjBkdWUlMjB0byUyMG5vaXNlJTIwcG9sbHV0aW9uJTNGUmlnaHQlMjB0byUyMHByb3Rlc3QlMjBwZWFjZWZ1bGx5JTIwYnklMjBhbnklMjBncm91cCUyMG9yJTIwaW5kaXZpZHVhbCUyMGF0JTIwdGhlJTIwaGVhcnQlMjBvZiUyMG91ciUyMGRlbW9jcmFjeSUzQyUyRnAlM0UlMjZtZGFzaCUzQiUyMHNvbmlhJTIwc2luZ2glMjAlMjglNDBzb25pYW5kdHYlMjklMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZzb25pYW5kdHYlMkZzdGF0dXMlMkY5MTU5MTg1MDI0NTE0OTA4MTYlM0ZyZWZfc3JjJTNEdHdzcmMlMjU1RXRmdyUyMiUzRU9jdG9iZXIlMjA1JTJDJTIwMjAxNyUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZibG9ja3F1b3RlJTNFJTBBJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwYXN5bmMlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjIlMkYlMkZwbGF0Zm9ybS50d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRndpZGdldHMuanMlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Farooq, Omar Abdullah to meet upset NC MLAs amid party discontent

Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah are set to meet National Conference MLAs who have raised concerns following the recent Cabinet expansion in Jammu and Kashmir.

Published

2 hours ago

on

November 6, 2026

By

Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah are set to meet a group of party legislators who have raised concerns following the recent expansion of the Union Territory’s Council of Ministers.

The meeting is scheduled in Srinagar on Friday as the party leadership attempts to address grievances raised by several NC MLAs. Reports indicate that the legislators had met separately ahead of their interaction with the Abdullahs to finalise the issues they wanted to raise. 

The developments come days after Omar Abdullah expanded his Cabinet, inducting four new ministers and dropping Independent MLA Satish Sharma from the Council of Ministers. The reshuffle has led to discontent among sections of the ruling National Conference, particularly among legislators who were not included in the new ministerial team. 

What the NC MLAs want

The legislators have raised concerns about the functioning of the party and government, including the need for greater authority for elected representatives, stronger party organisation at the grassroots level and better implementation of commitments made to voters.

Some members of the group have also demanded changes involving ministers and the Chief Minister’s advisor Nasir Aslam Wani. Earlier reports said the legislators had prepared a memorandum outlining their grievances and demands. 

The group has stressed that its concerns are aimed at strengthening the party rather than destabilising the government. One legislator described the focus as improving the party’s functioning at the grassroots level and ensuring that MLAs are empowered to address public grievances.

Cabinet expansion triggered tensions

The latest discontent followed Omar Abdullah’s Cabinet expansion, under which four new ministers were inducted. They include Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shamima Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Kaloo. Independent MLA Satish Sharma was dropped from the Council of Ministers. 

The Cabinet changes had already prompted concerns among some senior legislators over ministerial representation and the functioning of the party organisation. The disagreement has since developed into a broader discussion about the role and empowerment of elected representatives.

The meeting with Farooq and Omar Abdullah is therefore significant as the party leadership seeks to engage directly with the legislators and address their concerns.

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Hardeep Singh Puri elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh after the nominations of two other candidates, including a Congress-backed nominee, were rejected.

Published

15 hours ago

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November 5, 2026

By

Hardeep Puri

Union Petroleum Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Hardeep Singh Puri has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh. The announcement was made on Thursday after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended, leaving Puri as the only candidate in the contest.

Puri’s election followed the rejection of nomination papers filed by two other candidates, Kante Sayanna and Rajkumar Lohani, who was backed by the Opposition Congress. Their nominations were rejected during the scrutiny process, making Puri the sole candidate remaining in the fray.

Returning Officer Umesh Sharma formally declared Puri elected to the Upper House of Parliament. Madhya Pradesh BJP president Hemant Khandelwal collected his certificate of election from the returning officer in the presence of party MLA Rameshwar Sharma.

Why Hardeep Singh Puri was elected unopposed

The Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha bypoll witnessed three candidates initially entering the contest. However, the nomination papers of the two other candidates did not clear scrutiny.

Kante Sayanna and Congress-backed candidate Rajkumar Lohani had their nominations rejected during the examination of election papers. With both candidates out of the contest, Puri remained the only candidate.

As a result, the returning officer declared him elected unopposed on the final day of withdrawal of nominations on November 5.

The bypoll, if required, had been scheduled to take place on November 12.

Why the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant

The by-election became necessary following the resignation of former Union minister L Murugan from the Rajya Sabha last month.

Murugan’s departure created a vacancy in the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh. His original term was scheduled to continue until April 2, 2030.

The BJP subsequently nominated Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the by-election.

Puri, a former diplomat who later entered politics, currently serves as the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

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Amit Shah challenges Rahul Gandhi to debate SIR in Parliament

Amit Shah responded to Rahul Gandhi’s public debate challenge by inviting him to discuss the SIR exercise in Parliament. He also criticised the Congress over its demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Published

19 hours ago

on

November 5, 2026

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah has challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to take up his demand for a public debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament, saying the government is ready to convene a special session to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Addressing a rally in Haryana’s Karnal, Shah directly responded to Gandhi’s challenge to the Prime Minister, asking the Congress leader to write to PM Modi if he wanted a discussion.

“I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi directly. You challenge PM Modi for a discussion? If you want a discussion, simply write a letter to PM Modi. We are ready to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the SIR exercise… Come and debate in Parliament,” Shah said.

The remarks came two days after Rahul Gandhi issued another public debate challenge to the Prime Minister.

On November 3, Gandhi wrote in a post on X that PM Modi could choose any stage or venue for a discussion. He proposed debating allegations concerning who was anti-national and who had connections with foreign forces, adding that the media and the country’s youth should also be present.

Amit Shah targets Congress over SIR controversy

During his address, Shah also criticised the Congress over its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Referring to the 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Home Minister argued that the Congress had lost despite no Special Intensive Revision exercise being conducted during those elections.

“Where was the SIR in 2014? You were completely wiped out even then. Where was SIR in 2019? You lost. There was no SIR in 2024 either, yet you lost again,” he said.

Shah also referred to the elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, claiming that there was no SIR exercise in either state when the Congress suffered electoral defeats.

He accused the Opposition of disrupting parliamentary proceedings and organising protests on the streets instead of allowing Parliament to function.

Shah criticises Rahul Gandhi over protests

The Home Minister further alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress were creating disorder through street protests and parliamentary boycotts.

Shah said BJP workers would give a “fitting reply” if Gandhi continued to mobilise crowds on the streets.

He also questioned Gandhi’s claim to have mobilised large numbers of people for a rally in Delhi, alleging that the venue had a capacity of 70,000 and was still half empty despite an appeal to bring 10 lakh people.

“The people of the country have consistently defeated Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party. The people of the country are not with you or the Opposition alliance,” Shah said.

Amit Shah raises questions over Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits

Shah also sought details about Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits, arguing that people had a right to know about them.

“You’re Leader of Opposition… People have the right to know,” the Home Minister said.

His remarks came amid the continuing political confrontation between the BJP and Congress over the SIR exercise, electoral processes and the Opposition’s criticism of the Election Commission.

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