Ramlila Maidan in Delhi has been designated as one of the three new venues for organising protests and demonstrations
It has also witnessed speeches by Jawaharlal Nehru from 1949-1961, Jayprakash Narayan’s rally against then PM Indira Gandhi and Anna Hazare ’s anti-corruption protests in 2011. Ramlila Maidan, which can hold more than 50,000 people, is about 3km away from Jantar Mantar, where protests by CJP were held in July. Over the past few weeks, in the lead-up of protests against the CEC, Section 163 of BNSS was imposed in the area. Bansal, however, fondly remembered the 2011 anti-corruption protests for which he had supplied tents and set up the stage. “Less than 10,000 people can assemble at Jantar Mantar.
Following a morning spell of rain, the vast area had muddy patches spread all over due to the barren, dusty land. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in Delhi Stay updated with the latest Delhi news.
“No protest will happen here until Dussehra , and then for another week to clear out the site,” said Om Bansal, a contractor at Ramlila Maidan. The ground has a stage overlooking the entire area, from where Lata Mangeshkar once famously sang “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon” in 1963 after the Sino-India war. During the rally, Narayan had recited lines from a Ramdhari Singh Dinkar poem: “Singhasan Khaali Karo Ke Janata Aaati Hai”. An ice-cream seller at the site said the adjoining roads see heavy traffic every evening. “It takes 30 minutes to go from the entry to the exit,” he said, adding a protest will cause problems for residents of the Walled City. He said he would like the protests to be organised at the ground as it allows mobilisation of more people.
The ground is packed with amusement rides on one side and chairs facing a makeshift stage on the other, with a small area left empty for effigy burning. Located next to Zakir Husain Delhi College, the site has two metro stations – New Delhi and Delhi Gate – nearby. It has three main gates, many of which remain closed. During the Ramlila, the parking area inside the ground has been temporarily allotted to stalls, causing further congestion as cars have to park on roads outside. Students can assemble in lakhs here and show how strong their movement is. Download the TOI App.