Thousands gather at Jantar Mantar ahead of CJP’s march to Parliament

Thousands gathered at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday (July 19, 2026) ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s planned march to Parliament, demanding resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, even as the Delhi Police issued a prohibitory order against marches, demonstrations, and assemblies of five or more people except at the designated protest site with prior permission.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE updates - July 19, 2026

The unprecedented turnout, which spilled over to the streets surrounding Jantar Mantar, comes a day after activist Sonam Wangchuk was abruptly picked up by police and hospitalised against his will at Safdarjung Hospital. 

Meanwhile, no permission has been granted for the march planned by the CJP to Parliament on Monday, when both houses will convene for the Monsoon Session, potentially setting up a showdown between the massive crowd and the heavy security arrangements expected to meet them in the morning. Security personnel with riot guns have been deployed in the national capital, prompting the CJP to issue a call for more people to arrive at the site.

“Prohibitory order under Section 163 BNSS is in force in the New Delhi District. Accordingly, protest marches, processions, demonstrations and assemblies of five or more persons are strictly prohibited, except at the designated protest site at Jantar Mantar, with prior permission,” Delhi Police said in an advisory.

The CJP’s 1.5-kilometre march is planned to start from the Jantar Mantar protest site at 9 a.m., before moving through the Patel Chowk roundabout and terminating at the new Parliament building.

Gitanjali J. Angmo, wife of Mr. Wangchuk declared at Jantar Mantar that the activist’s fast would end on Monday “only if political leaders met him and provided an assurance that education and accountability are made the main issue of the Monsoon Session”.She had earlier shared a handwritten note from Mr. Wangchuk, billing the march to Parliament as “India’s 2nd freedom movement”. 

Support marches

Large rallies with hundreds of people also took place in several parts of the country including Mumbai, Nagpur, Bengaluru, Nashik, and Jammu. The march in Mumbai was led by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray. In Guwahati, the All Assam Students’ Union organised a candle-light protest across in support of Mr. Wangchuk.

Roopak Ikhe, a resident doctor at a government medical college in Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh, was suspended for allegedly taking out a march in support Mr. Wangchuk. An inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the matter, Sanjay Khatri, the Principal of Maharaja Suheldeo Autonomous State Medical College, informed local media. 

Over a dozen students and others on Sunday continued their own hunger strikes over the alleged irregularities in examinations. Abhijeet Dipke, CJP’s founder, finished two days of fasting that he started immediately after Mr. Wangchuk’s transfer. Earlier in the morning, protesters formed a human chain to prevent the CPI (ML) Liberation-affiliated All India Students’ Association (AISA)’s fasting members from being transferred to a hospital.

Several high-profile Opposition figures and celebrities arrived at Jantar Mantar on Sunday to register their support to the CJP’s protest. Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Azad Samaj Party chief Chandrashekhar Azad, Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad, and Trinamool leader Mahua Moitra were among those who showed up throughout the day.

“That is youngsters, fighting for their rights at Jantar Mantar,” Actor Prakash Raj said in a video posted from the stage after reaching late in the afternoon. Actor Shabana Azmi met Mr. Dipke and the protesting AISA students. Actor Swara Bhasker also came to the protest and registered her support for the cause.

(With inputs from Rahul Karmakar and Mayank Kumar.)