Political tension over the alleged attack in Jantar Mantar is high, with an attempt-to-murder case now being registered against self-styled Hindutva influence Swatantra Bhardwaj. In the wake of the alleged attack on Sanjay Kumar in a NEET protest, CJP leaders and supporters in Delhi protested to bring about severe action.
CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, along with party supporters, marched to Parliament Street Police Station and staged a sit-in, claiming that Delhi Police had not taken any action. The protesters demanded the case against Bhardwaj be taken more seriously and that all legal provisions be invoked.
The controversy revolves around an incident at Jantar Mantar on July 20, when a NEET protest was going on. According to CJP, Sanjay Kumar, the father of CJP protester Nishu Azad, was assaulted during the demonstration. A video from Bhardwaj was aired which claimed that he had assaulted Sanjay Kumar.
The CJP subsequently intensified its campaign for action, accusing Delhi Police of inaction. Party supporters held up slogans against the police during the protest and claimed that repeated demands for a stronger case had not yet resulted in the action they were demanding.
CJP leaders claim police inaction is a cause of great concern.
Saurav Das, the CJP leader, claimed that Sanjay Kumar and his daughter, who was a minor involved in the protest, were attacked by violent people who came to the peaceful demonstration. Das said the party had continued to talk to authorities after the first FIR, and the nature of the alleged assault warranted an attempt-to-murder provision.
Das said the protesters also sought invocation of provisions under the SC/ST Act, as the family belongs to a Dalit community and there was a caste-related dimension in the incident. If the party wanted stronger police action, they were advised to approach the court for appropriate directions, he said.
“The police did not take any such action,” Das alleged, while stressing that the CJP's claim for what it described as strong legal action against Bhardwaj was to be taken by the police.
Ashutosh Ranka also criticised the Delhi Police for their handling of the case. He claimed that even though the accused appeared to be speaking publicly about the incident, authorities had failed to provide the justice sought by Sanjay and his family.
Ranka added the CJP would continue to pursue the matter and demand further legal action over the alleged assault. Sanjay was beaten during the Jantar Mantar protest, the party has said, and officials have not taken any action to respond to its complaints.
What Happened At Jantar Mantar?
The controversy got more heated after the CJP posted a video on its X handle showing Bhardwaj talking about an assault on a person named Sanjay. In the video, Bhardwaj claimed that he had assaulted Sanjay during the July 20 protest.
The video also triggered political controversy because Bhardwaj allegedly referred to Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra and Union Minister Chirag Paswan as his “brothers” and claimed their support. These remarks added another political layer to an already heated dispute.
Delhi Police, however, has given a different account of Sanjay Kumar's injuries. Police said that Sanjay suffered a head injury from a kada during a scuffle and was taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for examination.
According to the police account cited in the controversy, doctors described the injuries as simple. Sanjay had not even a skull fracture, authorities said, because the medical examination did not establish the “crack in skull” injury. No weapon was used, police said.
Opposition leaders join political row
The Jantar Mantar attack has since become an issue of political debate with opposition leaders slamming the BJP-led government. Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Arvind Kejriwal among others have also raised their voices on the alleged attack and are now speaking out on the case.
And the CJP’s protest outside Parliament Street Police Station is another step in its ongoing protest against Bhardwaj. With the attempt-to-murder provision now a focal point in the party’s campaign, the case is likely to remain a point of political confrontation in Delhi.
The inconsistent accounts of the incident, the nature of Sanjay Kumar’s injuries and the charges of Bhardwaj are all part of the continuing controversy. The CJP has maintained that the incident was an attack of serious nature that warranted severe charges, but the police had earlier characterized these as minor injuries.
The registration of the attempt-to-murder case is a clear landmark in the dispute but political and legal questions surrounding the Jantar Mantar incident are expected to continue as the matter unfolds.
