Owaisi Condemns Police Action on Students at Jantar Mantar
Synopsis
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on 21 July 2026 sharply criticised the alleged assault and mistreatment of students protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, calling it a 'complete failure' of the government and sharing PTI video footage of the incident.
Key Takeaways
Asaduddin Owaisi condemned alleged assault and mistreatment of student protesters at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 21 July 2026 .
He called the incident a 'major failure' of the government in a post on X.
The post included a video credited to PTI , indicating footage of the alleged incident was in circulation.
Jantar Mantar is a designated protest venue in central Delhi frequently used by students and civil society groups.
Opposition leaders, including Owaisi, have previously raised concerns over police conduct toward protesters at the same site during the 2019–2020 anti-CAA demonstrations.
The matter may be raised in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, with pressure building on the Union Home Ministry and Delhi Police to respond.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, condemned the alleged assault and mistreatment of students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, calling it a 'complete failure' of the government and sharing a video attributed to PTI.
Context
Posting on X, Owaisi wrote: 'Jantar Mantar par Protest kar rahe Students ke saath maarpit aur badsaluki karna poori tarah galat hai. Yeh sarkar ki badi nakami hai.' In English: 'Assaulting and misbehaving with students who are protesting at Jantar Mantar is completely wrong. This is a major failure of the government.'
The post was accompanied by a video credited to PTI, suggesting footage of the alleged incident had begun circulating widely. The Hyderabad MP did not specify the cause of the student demonstration in his post.
Policy Backdrop
Jantar Mantar, the historic astronomical monument in central Delhi, has long served as a designated protest venue for students, unions, and civil society groups. Its proximity to Parliament and key government offices makes it a focal point for demonstrations seeking national attention.
This is not the first time Owaisi has raised the issue of police conduct toward protesters at this site. During the December 2019–January 2020 anti-CAA agitations, he and other opposition leaders publicly criticised the police response to students gathered at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere in Delhi. Opposition parties have repeatedly framed such incidents as evidence of administrative overreach and governance failure.
Stakeholders and Impact
The immediate stakeholders are the student protesters and Delhi Police, which operates under the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry. Any video evidence of alleged police misconduct typically triggers demands for an inquiry under existing Delhi Police rules and standing orders on the use of force.
Owaisi, as a Lok Sabha MP, has the platform to raise the matter in Parliament. With the Monsoon Session of Parliament under way, opposition members are likely to press for a statement from the government on the incident. Student organisations and civil liberties groups are also expected to amplify the footage.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to whether the Union Home Ministry or the Delhi Police Commissioner issues a formal response to the allegations. A statement clarifying the sequence of events and the nature of police action would be the immediate next step expected by opposition leaders and civil society.
If the matter is raised during the Monsoon Session, the government will face pressure to respond on the floor of the House. The circulation of PTI video footage significantly raises the political stakes, as verified visuals tend to sustain such debates beyond the initial news cycle.
Point of View
PTI footage — to frame police action against protesters as systemic governance failure rather than an isolated law-and-order response. The statement is calibrated to resonate beyond his core constituency, appealing broadly to civil liberties concerns at a moment when Parliament is in session and the government is politically exposed. The reference to PTI, a credible wire service, lends the allegation institutional weight that social-media-only clips often lack. If the matter reaches the floor of the House, it could become a pressure point for the ruling coalition on the question of democratic space for student dissent.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at Jantar Mantar on 21 July 2026?
According to a post by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, students who were protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi were allegedly assaulted and mistreated. Owaisi shared a PTI video of the incident and called it a major government failure. The exact cause of the student protest has not been independently verified.
Why did Owaisi criticise the government over the Jantar Mantar protest?
Owaisi stated that assaulting and misbehaving with students exercising their right to protest is 'completely wrong' and amounts to a 'major failure' of the government. He has previously raised similar concerns about police conduct toward protesters at Jantar Mantar during the 2019–2020 anti-CAA agitations.
What is Jantar Mantar and why is it used for protests?
Jantar Mantar is a historic astronomical monument in central New Delhi that has been designated as an official protest site. Its central location near Parliament and key government offices makes it a preferred venue for students, unions, and civil society groups seeking national visibility for their causes.
Can Owaisi raise this issue in Parliament?
Yes. As a Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad, Owaisi has the right to raise the matter during the Monsoon Session of Parliament through mechanisms such as Zero Hour, adjournment motions, or questions to the Home Ministry, which oversees Delhi Police.
What action can be taken against Delhi Police if misconduct is proven?
If an inquiry finds that Delhi Police personnel used excessive force or misbehaved with peaceful protesters, action can be taken under existing Delhi Police rules and conduct regulations. The Union Home Ministry, which has jurisdiction over Delhi Police, would be the authority responsible for ordering and overseeing such an inquiry.
