Kiran Bedi suggests shifting protests to Ramlila Ground, advocates civil defence-led crowd management
By Rajnish Singh, New Delhi, July 30
India's first female IPS officer and former Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi has suggested that protest demonstrations in the national capital be shifted to Ramlila Ground from Jantar Mantar-- the famous protest site-- to safeguard key public spaces and strengthen security around Parliament, while advocating a more restrained and technology-driven approach to crowd management.
In an interview with ANI on Thursday, Bedi proposed that permissions for agitations should be restricted to Ramlila Ground, saying the venue offers adequate space for peaceful demonstrations while preventing vandalism in commercial hubs such as Connaught Place.
"The main reason is to keep protests away from the gates of Parliament House for national safety," said Bedi, who joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1972 and served for 35 years before retiring in 2007 as Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).
She also recommended that the first and second lines of crowd management should comprise Civil Defence volunteers and women police personnel instead of heavily armed police resorting to baton charges.
Bedi, who served as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry from May 28, 2016, to February 16, 2021, told ANI that the riot police should be deployed only as a "last resort" and "strictly on a need basis".
Calling for greater use of technology, she suggested deploying drones linked to control rooms to provide live aerial monitoring of protest sites.
Bedi, who won the prestigious award in 1994 for government service and positive police-public relations, further suggested that the footage should be used to document the actions of both protesters and police personnel, ensuring greater transparency and accountability during demonstrations.
Bedi also recommended the use of technology-based facial recognition systems to identify habitual offenders and individuals with criminal records who participate in violent protests.
According to the retired IPS officer, authorities should pursue legal action against such persons, including seeking cancellation of their bail and forfeiture of their sureties wherever applicable.
Bedi's remarks come amid criticism of security forces' actions against protestors who participated in the July 20 Cockroach Janta Party-led protest march to Parliament.
Asked on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's Wednesday statement accusing Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being behind the July 20 action taken by security forces against protestors, the former IPS officer told ANI, "Responsibility for law and order lies with the most senior officer present at the scene. Even if a senior officer is not there, it is up to the personnel on the ground to decide how to disperse an unlawful crowd... in such a situation, there is no question of waiting for orders from the Union Home Minister..."
During the debate on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Gandhi accused Shah of authorising the firing on student protesters during the alleged police crackdown on the NEET paper leak demonstrations in Delhi.
"The issue arises here: why did the student protest lead to a direct confrontation with armed forces? This reflects a flaw in our system. We still have a colonial British-era system... this is wrong; it is being misused. The first line of defence against student protests should be the civil police. Why didn't we use the civil police? Civil police personnel are young and do not carry lathis (batons)," Bedi further told ANI.
"If a gathering is declared unlawful, the initial engagement should be with the civil police... If barricades are breached, the second line of defence should be women police personnel. They, too, do not carry lathis but are equipped with headgear and body armour... However, if the crowd becomes uncontrollable, only then should armed forces step in. The armed forces will take action based on the situation; that is their responsibility... Water cannons are a last resort. Cameras will reveal exactly what each individual is doing... aerial surveillance via drones should also be conducted... ultimately, you will know who did what...," She added.
Bedi's suggestions come days after the Supreme Court on July 27 observed that it may lay down nationwide guidelines for dealing with protests, emphasising that while the constitutional right to peaceful demonstration must be safeguarded, both violence by protesters and the excessive use of force by police are unacceptable.
The observations came as multiple petitions concerning the nationwide protests over alleged examination paper leaks, including allegations of police excesses during the July 20 "Sansad Chalo" march and subsequent incidents in Bihar, were mentioned before the bench, which also included justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I agree with the idea of using civil defence volunteers and women police as the first line. In India, we often escalate situations with heavy force too quickly. Bedi's approach could reduce tensions and build trust. Lathi charges should be a last resort, not the first response. 👍
The facial recognition idea is worrying. In a country with weak privacy laws, this could be misused. Already we see data leaks and arbitrary surveillance. Bedi means well, but we need clear safeguards before implementing such tech in protests.
Interesting perspective from a former IPS officer. Her point about Parliament security is valid—we saw what happened during the 2021 breach. But restricting protests to one location might create a 'protest zone' mentality. Why not use multiple designated spots across Delhi, not just Ramlila Ground?
Bedi's comment about not waiting for orders from the Home Minister is spot on—ground officers should have autonomy. But I'm skeptical about water cannons being a 'last resort'. In many protests, they're used too early. We need clearer protocols, not just suggestions.
As someone who has participated in peaceful protests at Jantar Mantar, I feel these are reasonable suggestions. The chaos at Connaught Place during the farmers' protests hurt small businesses. Relocating to Ramlila Ground with better planning could protect both protesters' rights and public property. But the tech part needs careful debate.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.