Protests at Jantar Mantar are now inspiring online gaming experiences. Developers have created free online games inspired by the demonstrations, giving players virtual roles as protesters and police personnel in challenges involving crowds, barricades and detentions.
From ‘ Jantar Mantar Chalo’, which lets players choose between protesters and police personnel, to ‘Bhaag Neha Bhaag’, inspired by AISA national president Neha Bora ’s attempts to reach the protest site, the games draw on recent political developments and the scenes that unfolded on the streets of the national capital. Another game, ‘Jantar Mantar to Jail’, features Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members Abhijeet Dipke , Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. He was forced to resign over a month later. The groups returned to the streets in October, joining opposition parties and student organisations in demonstrations seeking the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The protesters raised allegations concerning the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In June and July, the group led protests, including a march towards Parliament on July 20, demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister over repeated paper leaks and student suicides.
Players must dodge falling jail bars and police personnel while collecting coins representing “accountability” and “democracy”. Nayar said the idea came from following Neha Bora’s attempts to reach Jantar Mantar and her repeated detentions. “I made it as a sarcastic take, but now that it is getting so much attention; I am looking at updating it further,” he said.
