Delhi Police inaction during 'Sandad Chalo' march raises questions

Monday’s mayhem during the ‘Sandad Chalo’ march witnessed strange inaction from the police during the “golden hour”, according to several officers, according to Raj Shekhar Jha's Times of India report.

Although the agitation had been announced well in advance, and both Intelligence Bureau and Delhi Police’s intelligence wing had provided precise, actionable inputs regarding a massive build-up of demonstrators, the command centre remained largely silent during the initial, crucial window when the crowds first began to mobilise.

Several on-ground personnel said they found themselves stranded without definitive orders from the police headquarters even as a crowd reached one of the gates of Parliament.

A lack of clear instructions allowed the swelling crowds to breach key security perimeters, according to officers.

“It could have easily been contained in the initial hour without any substantial force, but it was only around noon, after the situation had already reached a boiling point, that scattered instructions began to filter through,” said an officer.

Rather than a coordinated containment strategy, officers received piecemeal directives to “control things” at specific, isolated flashpoints, such as Rail Bhawan and Connaught Place. The initial hesitation on the part of the police brass was palpable, with many observers suggesting govt may have been wary of authorising the use of force, fearful of the optics and backlash.

Retired senior cops recalled the 2012 Nirbhaya protests that culminated in a massive civilian siege at India Gate. During the tense standoff, police wireless sets suddenly crackled to life with a straightforward command: “khali karao” (clear the area), said a retired officer. Following that unequivocal order, security forces vacated the Central Vista and its sprawling lawns, clearing the protesters and the area within a two-hour window.

In June 2011, police swooped down on Baba Ramdev at Ramlila Maidan in the middle of the night, bringing his agitation to an abrupt halt. He was detained after cops used lathicharge and teargas on his supporters, resulting in the death of one demonstrator and widespread political condemnation.

Monday’s administrative hesitation was not entirely without precedent in recent memory. It bore a striking resemblance to the 2021 mayhem at Red Fort on Republic Day, in which thousands of farmers breached barricades, with a few unfurling a religious flag atop the historic monument where the tricolour is traditionally raised.