Organizing a protest at the Ramlila Maidan, which is one of the three designated new locations for demonstrations in Delhi, can prove to be an expensive and distant prospect as the venue remains unavailable for the next two and a half months. Following that period, applicants may have to shell out more than one lakh rupees for booking. Spanning across 12 acres and capable of holding 50,000 people, officials stated that the ground can currently be booked for only December 29, 30, and 31 for the rest of this year.
An official explained that the booking rate for the ground stands at 50,000 rupees per day, alongside a security deposit of 55,000 rupees which is refundable later. Inclusive of taxes, the starting cost for a single day of booking amounts to 1.21 lakh rupees.
A Small Portion of the Ground is Free for Protests
Civic body officials clarified that a small section of the ground is available free of cost for protests and gatherings, but it can accommodate only up to 150 people. The ground is booked through the horticulture department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which grants approval for the same. Securing a No Objection Certificate from the Delhi Police is mandatory before the civic body clears any application.
Under a standing order issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar on October 11, protests will no longer be allowed at Jantar Mantar. Instead, Ramlila Maidan, Burari ground, and the Central Business District ground located in east Delhi have been designated as the new venues for holding demonstrations.
No Fees Were Charged at Jantar Mantar
According to protesters, organizations or resident groups have to pay a very high admission fee to stage demonstrations at Ramlila Maidan, whereas no such charges were levied at Jantar Mantar. An official noted that if protests were allowed there without any fees, the civic body would suffer a daily loss of at least 50,000 rupees or even more. MCD officials also pointed out that with major festivals like Dussehra and Diwali approaching in the coming weeks, Ramlila Maidan has already been booked for various events and celebrations.
According to officials, the ground is situated in a busy commercial area, surrounded by three hospitals and headquarters of civic bodies. During the British colonial era, it extended beyond Ajmere Gate, and the present-day Kamla Market used to be a part of this very area.
The Ground Used to Be a Pond Prior to 1930
Officials stated that until 1930, the ground was actually a pond that was subsequently filled and leveled to facilitate the staging of Ramlila performances. This tradition began in 1932 and continues to this day, giving the ground its familiar name. Following independence in 1951, the area was developed to provide livelihoods for refugees arriving from Pakistan.
Ramlila Maidan Became a Stage for the Country's Political History
Over its journey spanning decades, the ground transformed into a prominent platform for the political history of the nation. In 1952, Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee launched his satyagraha from here, demanding the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir into India. Serving as Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru addressed massive public meetings at Ramlila Maidan in 1956 and 1957.
Major Movements and Rallies Held at the Ground
A permanent stage was constructed at the venue in 1962 for a public event organized in honor of Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to India. Following the victory against Pakistan in the 1971 war, Indira Gandhi addressed a rally there, and on November 26, 1974, a public meeting was held to honor then Soviet Union leader Leonid Brezhnev. A few years later, on June 25, 1975, the day the Emergency was declared, Jayaprakash Narayan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed a rally at the same ground. The prominent Anna movement also took place at this very venue, and Arvind Kejriwal took oath as Chief Minister at this location in 2013.
