It was on the same venue, over two years back, where Kejriwal was spear heading the ‘fast until death’ movement of his guru (mentor) Anna Hazare. Hazare came to Ramlila Maidan from Tihar Jail on 20 August, 2011, to protest for the passage of Jan Lokpal Bill, which they felt would cure the malaise of corruption. His first and last fast was at Jantar Mantar.
Prior to Hazare, Yoga guru Ramdev, had staged an indefinite hunger strike on 4 June, 2011, to bring back ‘black money’ stashed in tax heavens abroad. The ground also witnessed the midnight cane-charge on his supporters by Delhi police after which Ramdev had to flee disguised as a woman. The incident also witnessed the unfortunate incident, involving a woman protester, who later died in the hospital.
Since then several protest rallies, including one led by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s, to press for ‘special status’ to his state and Delhi BJP’s rally against power tariff hike in Delhi, were organised here.
Going back in time, the anti-Congress wave after emergency in 1975, led by Jayaprakash Narayan, along with prominent opposition leaders, addressed a mammoth rally on this ground on 25 June, to oust the Indira Gandhi government from Centre.
Ramlila ground was a pond before 1930. It was filled up in early 1930s so that annual Ramlila could be shifted here from the flood plains behind Red Fort. It quickly became a popular site for political meetings, with Gandhiji, Nehru, Sardar Patel and other top national leaders to address public rallies. A small pond is still present inside the Ramlila ground as a token of its past.
The ground, which is under administrative control of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, can be hired at Rs 5,000 per day. It is used as parking for commercial vehicles, when no booking is available.
Prior to Hazare, Yoga guru Ramdev, had staged an indefinite hunger strike on 4 June, 2011, to bring back ‘black money’ stashed in tax heavens abroad. The ground also witnessed the midnight cane-charge on his supporters by Delhi police after which Ramdev had to flee disguised as a woman. The incident also witnessed the unfortunate incident, involving a woman protester, who later died in the hospital.
Since then several protest rallies, including one led by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s, to press for ‘special status’ to his state and Delhi BJP’s rally against power tariff hike in Delhi, were organised here.
Going back in time, the anti-Congress wave after emergency in 1975, led by Jayaprakash Narayan, along with prominent opposition leaders, addressed a mammoth rally on this ground on 25 June, to oust the Indira Gandhi government from Centre.
Ramlila ground was a pond before 1930. It was filled up in early 1930s so that annual Ramlila could be shifted here from the flood plains behind Red Fort. It quickly became a popular site for political meetings, with Gandhiji, Nehru, Sardar Patel and other top national leaders to address public rallies. A small pond is still present inside the Ramlila ground as a token of its past.
The ground, which is under administrative control of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, can be hired at Rs 5,000 per day. It is used as parking for commercial vehicles, when no booking is available.