Students return to Jantar Mantar to debunk viral false protest videos

A week after the 36-day protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) ended at Jantar Mantar, students continue to return to the site, not to stage fresh demonstrations, but to counter what they describe as a wave of misleading social media posts falsely portraying the protest as ongoing.

Instagram has been flooded with videos claiming to show “live” scenes of students clashing with police and marching through heavy security at Jantar Mantar. Carrying timestamps including August 1, July 31 and July 30, several of the clips have amassed millions of views, fuelling speculation that the protest is continuing despite having officially concluded.

One video claiming to be a 6 a.m. update on August 1 has crossed 2.8 million views. Another, presented as a 6.30 a.m. update on July 31, has received 1.9 million views, while other similarly labelled clips have attracted tens of thousands of views.

The viral posts have prompted representatives of student organisations to visit the protest site, enquire with locals and even seek access to CCTV footage in an attempt to publicly refute what they call a fabricated narrative.

On Saturday (August 1) evening, the stretch from Patel Chowk Metro station to Jantar Mantar remained under heavy security. Personnel from the Delhi Police, Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) stood along the route, with police buses and patrol vehicles stationed every few metres. Workers were simultaneously repainting the yellow barricades erected outside the protest site, even as visitors and students continued to walk through the area.

“We have been seeing videos on Instagram claiming there are fresh protests by student unions at Jantar Mantar. We came here to verify and debunk those claims,” said Bhim Kumar, a representative of the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS).

“We spoke to local vendors, student organisations and media personnel, who confirmed no protests have taken place. Police officials have also termed these claims baseless. No student organisation has announced any protest after July 28, but these videos are misleading people into believing demonstrations are still continuing. They are also weakening our cause,” he said.

Student representatives said they also approached those handling CCTV cameras in the area to verify whether any gatherings had taken place. “So far we have not found any evidence to ascertain such protests. We will now discuss the issue with other student organisations before approaching the police with a formal complaint seeking action against the social media handles circulating the videos.

Other students also visited Jantar Mantar to coordinate legal assistance for protesters facing cases in different States and to review developments relating to FIRs registered during the agitation.

Mudita, who participated throughout the 36-day protest, said the movement had shifted from street demonstrations to outreach. “We are continuing to reach students across colleges and universities to discuss the larger problems in the education system. The protest was never only about seeking the Minister’s resignation, it was about addressing deeper structural issues. We are also working on concerns faced by student protesters, including FIRs registered in different States,” she said.

For traders around Jantar Mantar, however, the online misinformation has translated into quieter streets and lower sales. “People still believe the protest is continuing and are afraid to come here. Business has dropped sharply over the past week because visitors are staying away. For a Saturday, this is unusually quiet,” said Dharmender, who manages a 40-year-old sweet shop overlooking the protest site.

At a neighbouring juice stall, Sunny said business had been slowly recovering but remained below normal.“The situation became difficult after the protest. Students still come here every day, and office-goers have also started returning gradually,” he said.

An ice cream vendor outside the visitor entrance echoed the sentiment, saying the decline in footfall had significantly affected sales despite the hot weather.