Noida residents among volunteers keeping Jantar Mantar CJP protest running

Volunteers from Noida and across the National Capital Region have formed an informal network to supply food, water, and medical aid to the ongoing Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The protest, which began on June 20, is being sustained by a group of 15 to 20 volunteers who coordinate shifts to distribute essentials despite facing police restrictions and identity checks on donors.

Among the key volunteers are Noida residents who have put their daily lives on hold to support the agitation. Surya Pratap Singh, a farmer from Madhya Pradesh who now lives in Noida, travels to the protest site daily to manage supplies. Singh, whose cousins and himself have been impacted by recruitment exam delays and cancellations, works shifts before returning home to Noida.

Another Noida resident, Brajesh Pandey, who runs a small street cart (thela) in Noida, has shut his business to remain at Jantar Mantar. Pandey, who describes himself as a gau rakshak, said he loses nearly Rs 3,000 daily to stay and sleep at the protest site.

The volunteer network is entirely informal, with no central organisation. Md Junaid, an advocate from Ghazipur who coordinates the efforts, explained that volunteers from diverse backgrounds work in shifts to ensure constant availability of essentials. The group manages a makeshift dispensary offering basic medicines and distributes meals, such as rajma-chawal and vegetable pulao, donated by the public and langar groups.

Volunteers stated they decline cash donations, asking supporters to send physical supplies instead. When urgent purchases are required, the volunteers pool in Rs 200 to Rs 300 each.

However, volunteers and CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka alleged that police surveillance and strict identity checks have hindered their efforts. According to volunteers, police have restricted the entry of supplies and verified the identities of those bringing food and water, which has discouraged some donors from delivering goods to the site.