Thousands of people continued to turn up at the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar on Friday, even as the restrictions around the authorities closed the entry and exit gates at 18 metro stations, two more than were closed the previous day. Internet services remained suspended at Jantar Mantar, Sansad Marg and parts of central Delhi for the third consecutive day.

The protest’s momentum appeared undimmed despite the restrictions. Following their meeting with Union Ministers, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said they would call for a nationwide stir on the lines of the July 20 ‘Chalo Sansad’ march if the government does not agree to their demand to oust Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan within the next two days.

‘Here for my son’

At Sansad Marg, 25-year-old Afroza from Mehrauli was dressed in shades of the tricolour and handing out water bottles. “My son wanted to join, but I told him I would go on his behalf. I didn’t know about this protest until July 18, when a relative called me and asked if I had visited the site,” she said.

For the past two days, Ms. Afroza, who has never been to school, has been finishing her chores by 11 a.m. and heading to Jantar Mantar. This is what she plans to do on Saturday as well. She had brought along four packs of water bottles to distribute. “When I came here yesterday, I saw people buying water bottles. No one at such a place should be charged for water. So, my husband and I bought these,” she said.

Many volunteers were tasked with maintaining peace and order amid the large turnout, with several deployed at the entry and exit gates to prevent overcrowding at the main protest site. Arun Singh from Uttar Pradesh has been volunteering at the food counter since he arrived at the protest site on July 19.

Protesters continue to occupy a stretch of Sansad Marg from Connaught Place to Tolstoy Marg while the remaining stretch is held by security forces, with heavy deployment of personnel and riot-control vehicles. CJP volunteers have formed a human chain separating the protesters from the police.