The Delhi Police has deployed heavy security in the Jantar Mantar area of Delhi ahead of a rally by dalit leader and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani planned for noon on Tuesday.
According to media reports, more than 1,000 police personnel have been deployed to cordon off the area of the 'Yuva Hunkar' Rally; they have been equipped with tear gas and water cannons.
The Delhi Police had announced late on Monday night that it had not provided permission for the event and cited an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that barred political gatherings at Jantar Mantar. It suggested that the rally could be held in Ramlila Maidan.
However, Prashant Bhushan, lawyer and political activist, called the police's statement misleading on the grounds that the NGT order applied only to Jantar Mantar and not to Parliament Street, where the rally was originally announced. Mevani and other activists have announced their determination to go ahead with the rally.
The rally seeks to raise the demand for the release of dalit outfit Bhim Army's founder Chandrashekhar Azad and emphasise on issues like educational rights, employment, livelihood and gender justice.
Other activists who are scheduled to attend the event include Assam's peasant rights activist, Akhil Gogoi.
(With agency inputs)
