Troubled with the constant protests that have been taking place since years for now, compelled Varun Seth to file the petition to make the area free of protesters. (IE photo)
The National Green Tribunal has ordered the Delhi government, NDMC and the Delhi Police Commissioner to “immediately stop all dharnas, assembling of people, public speeches and use of loudspeakers at Jantar Mantar Road within four weeks”. Troubled with the constant protests that have been taking place since years for now, compelled Varun Seth to file the petition to make the area free of protesters. 47-year-old is one of the seven petitioners who want protestors to leave the area. “They come in numbers, create havoc with slogans, walk around semi-nude, urinate on walls, and leave behind a mess… obviously, I want them out of here,” said Varun, according to a report by The Indian Express.
Varun has been putting the efforts to rid the street of protesters for last four years. He said, “I filed a case with NGT but no one else supported me — Kerala House, Delhi Metro office, the building next door… everyone refused. It was just us and 5 Jantar Mantar. In 2015, we got an instrument to measure noise here, to show NGT the problem we face.” Apart from the noise pollution by slogans and songs, he mentioned issues of hygiene, safety and traffic.
Varun also was also quoted as saying, “There was a family emergency once but we couldn’t get out because some people protesting for OROP had parked cars outside our house. We can’t invite people over because there might be 500 or 5,000 people here. My children can’t go out and skate or cycle, my father can’t go out for a walk… it’s a nuisance.”
As of now, the tribunal has directed the authorities to shift the protesters, agitators and the people holding dharna (sit-in) to an alternative site at the Ramleela Grounds in Ajmeri Gate forthwith.
