‘You should all go home now’: big announcement leaves many in disbelief

Moments after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, the loud cheers at Jantar Mantar on Saturday were punctuated by a roaring announcement by the police – “Saare apne, apne ghar jaiye”.

“Attention, students. The government has accepted all your demands. You should all go home safely now,” the announcement echoed across a jam-packed Tolstoy Road, where a sea of students was celebrating, some standing on the road dividers, some others sitting on the pavements.

Police vehicles fitted with loudspeakers rolled through the roads surrounding Jantar Mantar, urging the crowd to return home “peacefully”.

While the declaration took many by surprise, prompting them to verify the information through their sources, the news of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) winding up its 36-day agitation soon reached the crowd from the CJP stage.

It took a moment for the people to understand. “I could hardly believe my ears. They [police] already wanted to create confusion so that students would leave. I just picked my phone called one of my friends who was at Jantar Mantar itself. It was ‘not reachable’ twice, but on the third attempt, I was told that we have won,” said 22-year-old Vani Dev, who came from Dehradun to participate in the protest.

Paschim Vihar resident Anchal, 17, who goes by her first name only, was also among the crowd returning home but with an aim to come again on Sunday. The moment she was told that the CJP has called off the protest, she froze. “My phone died and I had no idea whom to speak with to verify the piece of news. Then I saw some reporters standing a few metres away discussing the same. I asked them if the news was true and they said yes,” said Ms. Anchal.

Even as police personnel moved through the crowd, requesting protesters to disperse in an orderly manner, a huge loudspeaker was installed near Palika Bazar in Connaught Place from where the police repeatedly informed the people that all gates of Rajiv Chowk metro station had been reopened and could be used to return home. “Saare metro stations khule hain. Aap ghar jaiye (All metro station gates are open. Please return home),” the announcement said.

Eighteen metro stations on the Blue, Yellow, Violet, and Airport Express (Orange) lines in central Delhi had been closed since 7.30 a.m. for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday owing to security concerns amid the CJP protest.

Confusion over access, however, persisted at Mandi House and Central Secretariat stations, where commuters attempting to exit were told by the metro staff that only entry was permitted, and the exit gates remained closed. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation later, in a post on X, announced that all metro stations were reopened and normal entry and exit had resumed.

CJP volunteers also joined the Rapid Action Force and the police in guiding students towards transit points.

‘Hope no more leaks’

Despite repeated appeals to disperse, the roads around Jantar Mantar remained packed well until late evening as students celebrated the announcement, exchanged sweets, and clicked what many described as their final selfies at a site that will be remembered for one of the largest and longest student protests in recent times.

“I hope that next year when I sit for the NEET exam, the paper won’t get leaked,” said Ms. Anchal.