New Delhi: A police officer firing a tear gas shell; another swinging a baton at a woman protester; men in plain clothes wielding sticks; a protester trapped in the middle as policemen close in from all sides, raining blows; photographs of senior cops placed alongside references likening them to General Dyer, who ordered the Jallianwala Bagh massacre — beneath each image, the same message appears in bold red letters against a yellow background: “Sab yaad rakha jayega.”The photographs form the centrepiece of a ‘Wall of Shame’ put up by protesters at Jantar Mantar. Nearly a 500-metre stretch from the protest site towards Jantar Mantar metro station has turned into a sprawling canvas of graffiti, posters, handwritten messages and political satire. Amid anti-govt slogans, memes mocking the current dispensation and the now former Union education minister, the red wall stands out, with the words ‘Wall of Shame’ spelt out in black block letters, each printed on a separate A4 sheet.
CJP Jantar Mantar Protest Updates
Many of the posters remain intact, but several have been ripped off, leaving behind torn paper and adhesive residue. Protesters alleged that police personnel kept removing posters, only for volunteers to paste fresh ones in their place, turning the wall into what they described as a daily contest.On Friday, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), spearheading the agitation, also launched a website inviting people to upload photographs and videos of the July 20 police action to help identify personnel allegedly involved and pursue legal action.The wall also displayed handwritten notes by supporters on neon pink and yellow chits. “It is time for revolution”, “Shame on the govt”, “Accountability not found” and “Will see you during next elections” were among the messages pasted on the wall. Nearby, a graffiti of a cockroach holding a pen echoed the movement’s symbolism.Early Saturday, the protest site saw a steady stream of visitors, including office-goers, families and even parents carrying infants. Arif (22), who had come to express solidarity, wrote, “You can cage a bird, but not its voice.” He said, “What they did on July 20 is extremely shameful. The more they try to suppress us, the stronger our resolve will become.”Khushi, another supporter, penned, “Mandir is not development.” “Our govt is only focused on religious politics. A temple is not going to take our country forward, but educated youth can. That is why we need reforms in our education system,” she said.There was no immediate response from Delhi Police to queries on the display and the allegations made by protesters regarding the removal of posters.
