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Delhi police block 400 former BSF personnel from protest at Jantar Mantar
Police denied permission for a demonstration by dismissed Border Security Force personnel who sought to stage a hunger strike against their removal from service. Authorities cited restrictions on continuous agitations and unlawful hunger protests.
LSN India ·
Approximately 400 former Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were prevented from staging a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, a prominent venue for demonstrations, after police denied them permission to assemble.
The dismissed BSF jawans had sought to hold a hunger strike to voice their grievances over their dismissal from service. However, police authorities informed the group that hunger strikes violated regulations and that prolonged continuous agitations spanning multiple days were not permissible under Delhi's protest guidelines.
The denial of permission highlights ongoing tensions between law enforcement and dismissed security personnel seeking redressal through public demonstration. Jantar Mantar has historically served as a focal point for various protest movements and civil society demonstrations in the capital.
This incident comes amid broader concerns about the grievances of former security force personnel and their limited avenues for public advocacy. The decision to block the protest raises questions about the balance between maintaining public order and protecting citizens' constitutional right to peaceful assembly and petition for grievances.