The Indian Youth Congress staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Thursday to demand the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah [1].
The demonstration highlights growing tensions between student activists and the Indian government regarding the right to peaceful assembly and the use of state force.
Led by national president Uday Bhanu Chib, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) organized the gathering to protest police actions during the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march [1, 2]. The IYC said that security forces used excessive force against student demonstrators on July 20, 2024 [1].
According to the IYC, the government's response to the student march was an attempt to curb peaceful protests, and suppress dissent [1, 2]. The organization is seeking direct accountability from Amit Shah for the police conduct during that event [1].
Security presence at Jantar Mantar was significant during the Thursday protest. Authorities deployed riot control vehicles, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to manage the crowds [2].
The IYC said that the actions taken on July 20, 2024 [1] represent a violation of democratic norms. The group continues to call for the Home Minister's resignation as a necessary step for accountability regarding the treatment of the students [1, 2].
“The Indian Youth Congress staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Thursday”
This protest reflects a deepening conflict between youth political wings and the central government over the handling of civil unrest. By targeting the Union Home Minister, the IYC is attempting to link local police actions to high-level policy decisions, signaling a strategy to escalate the political cost of student crackdowns in the capital.
