On 2024-05-25, Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Sambit Patra addressed reporters regarding the Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar. He characterised the demonstration as unsuccessful and contrasted it with what he described as the broader national sentiment.
Patra labelled the Cockroach Janta Party’s rally at Jantar Mantar a “flop show,” suggesting that the turnout and impact fell short of expectations. He further asserted that certain anarchist forces had been attempting to stir unrest in the national capital. He offered two memorable lines: first, that “Jantar Mantar’s story is not India’s story,” implying that the protest did not reflect the country’s prevailing sentiment; second, that “Today, ‘loktantra’ has triumphed over ‘bheedtantra’.” Here he used the Hindi words for democracy and mob rule to argue that orderly governance had prevailed over chaotic pressure.
Simultaneously with Patra’s remarks, the Delhi Police launched a wide‑scale security operation. Officers were stationed at key points across the city, with particular attention given to the Dhaula Kuan area. There, police detained individuals who had joined the protest and erected physical impediments such as barricades and spike strips. The aim, as stated by authorities, was to prevent any disruption to normal city life and to maintain public order.
Officers were stationed at key points across the city, with particular attention given to the Dhaula Kuan area.
Adding to the police narrative, Deputy Commissioner of Police Kumar Abhishek spoke about the precautions that had been put in place. He said, “In view of the protest announced in New Delhi today, preventive checks have been implemented here.”