A group of Nihang Sikhs who have been protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi have said that they are now uninterested in the protest because it is no longer a movement to help students.
Members of the group said they had been at the protest to express their solidarity with students and their concerns to the media at the protest site, and said they had come to the protest to express solidarity with students and their fears. They had joined in the meeting as they were there to show support, but they said some people in the demonstration were trying to provoke the police.
🚨 BREAKING! Nihangs also withdraw hands from the fringe CJP protest.
— The Analyzer (News Updates🗞️) (@Indian_Analyzer) July 23, 2026
🗣️ “We came here to support the students, but some people are trying to provoke the police.
-> Police are sitting peacefully, yet they are still being PROVOKED.”🤯 pic.twitter.com/IY9GpIUaMc
The Nihang Sikhs had originally viewed the protest as a peaceful forum for them to raise issues affecting students. They had initially regarded it as a peaceful protest and had been supporting democratic voices of concern and did not want to be associated with anything that could escalate the tension or lead to a struggle with law enforcement authorities.
One of the members said police were exercising restraint at Jantar Mantar and that there was no immediate provocation from the security forces. However, some protesters were trying to provoke the police, the speaker said.
"We came here to support the students, but some people are trying to provoke the police. The police are sitting peacefully, yet they are still being provoked," the person said in his interview with the media.
The allegations of the Nihang Sikhs have not been independently verified. No response from the protest organizers or other groups participating in the demonstration at the time of the report was forthcoming.
The developments come at a time of increased political and public attention to the protests at Jantar Mantar. The demonstration has attracted people from various organizations and backgrounds, and there have been several police deployed in that area to keep public order and ensure the safety of those participating and observers.
The security of the protest site has continued, and the Delhi police have appealed to protesters to conduct their demonstrations peacefully and to not spread fake news on social media.
Jantar Mantar has long been one of the capital’s main venues for public demonstrations and regularly hosts protests on a wide range of political, social, and public policy issues. And as there are many organizations and points of view present, there is usually a very large security presence in place to prevent disruption and to keep demonstrators peaceful.
The latest statement of the Nihang Sikhs has only added to the situation as the protests are ongoing, which brings out differences of opinion among the people at the protest. Many large public demonstrations are in the public space with many people and have different objectives and approaches.
As the situation develops, further comments from protest organizers, Delhi Police, and other stakeholders will be forthcoming regarding the sequence of events and the allegations that have been made at the protest site.
Authorities have reiterated that maintaining peace, following the law, and keeping everyone safe remain their primary priorities. Now they are also monitoring things very closely because the protest and the purpose of the protest are happening.
