Protesters Regroup at Jantar Mantar to Demand Sacking of Dharmendra Pradhan
A large crowd of protesters regrouped past midnight on July 20, 2026, at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demanding the resignation and sacking of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Despite heavy rain, alleged deliberate power cuts, and a heavy police presence, the demonstrators refused to leave the site, continuing their protest into the early hours of the morning.
With no electricity at the protest site, demonstrators used their mobile phone torches to navigate around the stage. Many carried water bottles, biscuits, and other essential supplies to sustain their demonstration.
The midnight protest followed a tense day. Demonstrators reported that the Delhi Police had carried out a lathi charge on protesters earlier on Monday afternoon as they attempted to march towards Parliament Street.
Among those present was Ayush Kashyap, a 21-year-old B.Com student who travelled from Bulandshahr in western Uttar Pradesh on a bus after hearing about the afternoon's lathi charge. Kashyap, who brought a pillow, bedsheet, and toothbrush, expressed his determination to stay at Jantar Mantar until the Union Education Minister resigns.
Another demonstrator, Ayushi Gupta, a 23-year-old Master's student at Kirori Mal College, arrived at the site to distribute water and biscuits. Gupta decided to join the protest after seeing social media videos of the afternoon's police action, which reportedly left at least one student bleeding from the head.
Other young residents also gathered at the site to support the cause. Three friends—Amit, Prateek, and Aman—pooled money to travel from north Delhi in a taxi. They stated they were protesting for a better education system and more jobs, adding that they planned to return the following day to continue demanding the minister's resignation.
Despite attempts by the Delhi Police to disperse the crowd throughout the day, the protesters remained at Jantar Mantar, shouting slogans against the central government and demanding a transparent education system.
