Sansad Chalo March — What Happened at Jantar Mantar on July 20, 2026 | Complete Timeline

July 20, 2026, will be remembered as the day India's youth took over Delhi. The Cockroach Janta Party's Sansad Chalo march from Jantar Mantar was the biggest youth-led protest in the Indian capital in years. Here is the complete timeline of what happened.

Background: How We Reached July 20 The Sansad Chalo march did not happen overnight. It was the culmination of weeks of protest at [Jantar Mantar](/news), starting June 20 when CJP supporters first gathered to demand Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak. On June 28, Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest and began an indefinite hunger strike. By July 18, when police forcibly moved Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital, over 20,000 protesters were camping at Jantar Mantar.

Timeline of July 20, 2026

6:00 AM — Protesters Gather at Jantar Mantar Thousands of students, parents, teachers, and professionals began gathering at Jantar Mantar from early morning. Despite heavy rain, the crowd swelled to tens of thousands. Many carried Indian flags, backpacks with food and water, and placards demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

7:30 AM — Sonam Wangchuk Appeals from Hospital From his bed at Safdarjung Hospital, Sonam Wangchuk wrote a handwritten note appealing to doctors to discharge him so he could join the march. The Delhi High Court had ordered his continued hospitalisation. Wangchuk called the Sansad Chalo march India's 'second freedom movement.'

8:30 AM — Government Reaches Out In an unexpected development, the government reached out to CJP for talks. CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were invited to meet Union Health Minister JP Nadda. This was the first official government engagement with the CJP movement.

10:00 AM — The March Begins CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke ended his hunger strike at Sonam Wangchuk's request and joined the Sansad Chalo march. Thousands began moving from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament, chanting 'Dharmendra Pradhan, isteefa do' and 'Modi resign.' Delhi Police had denied permission for the march and imposed Section 163 BNSS (formerly Section 144) across the New Delhi district.

11:00 AM — Police Crackdown As protesters reached Connaught Place and approached Parliament Street, police deployed lathi charges and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Mobile internet was suspended at 150 locations across central Delhi. Protesters reported head injuries, fractures, and tear gas exposure. At least 38 injured were taken to Lady Hardinge Medical College and 65 to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.

12:00 PM — Abhijeet Dipke Detained CJP spokesperson Saurav Das announced on X that Abhijeet Dipke had been 'picked up by the police.' Delhi Police denied the claim, calling it 'entirely false.' Confusion reigned as protesters continued marching in small groups through side streets, attempting alternative routes to Parliament.

2:00 PM — RAF Deployed Rapid Action Force (RAF) teams entered Jantar Mantar and began clearing the protest site. The stage where CJP leaders had been speaking was dismantled. Despite this, hundreds of protesters refused to leave, linking arms and chanting slogans.

4:00 PM — CJP Meets JP Nadda Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka met JP Nadda at his residence for a 10-minute meeting. They presented three demands: Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, release of Sonam Wangchuk with no restrictions, and Rs 1 crore compensation for families of NEET suicide victims. Nadda assured them he would discuss the demands internally.

6:00 PM — Police Clear Jantar Mantar Police in riot gear entered Jantar Mantar and announced over loudspeakers that protesters no longer had permission to remain. They began pushing people back. The protest site was completely dismantled by late evening. However, many vowed to return the next day.

9:00 PM — Sonam Wangchuk Continues Fast From the hospital, Wangchuk issued a statement saying he would continue his hunger strike until youth leaders were allowed to meet MPs inside Parliament, or MPs came to meet him. His hunger strike entered its 23rd day.

The Aftermath On July 21, CJP protesters reclaimed Jantar Mantar. Abhijeet Dipke announced that the march would continue. The monsoon session of Parliament resumed with opposition MPs raising the NEET paper leak issue. The CJP movement had achieved what no satirical movement had before — forcing the government to the negotiating table.

What Was Achieved The Sansad Chalo march achieved several milestones: - First government engagement with CJP (JP Nadda meeting) - Global media coverage: BBC, NPR, NBC, AP, Reuters, CBS, Al Jazeera, The Guardian - Over 100,000 protesters participated despite the police ban - The government acknowledged CJP's demands for the first time - Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike became a national issue

The Road Ahead The CJP has made clear: the protest will continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. The Sansad Chalo march was not the end — it was the beginning. As Abhijeet Dipke said: 'We are cockroaches. You step on us, we multiply.'

Join the movement. Use #MainBhiCockroach. The swarm is just getting started. Join CJP today.