Hans News Service New Delhi

TheDelhi Police said on Thursday that they have not granted permission for any protest regarding reservation reforms at Jantar Mantar on August 21, terming videos circulating on social media as “false and misleading”.

“Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), corresponding to the erstwhile Section 144 of the CrPC, are already in force in the New Delhi district,” the Delhi Police statement read.

Under the orders, protest marches, processions, demonstrations and assemblies of five or more persons are strictly prohibited, the statement read.

“Citizens have been advised not to amplify, forward or share unverified content circulating on social media. Legal action may be initiated against individuals found creating or disseminating fake news,” police cautioned in the statement.

The protest was called by “Reservation Hatao Andolan”, an Instagram-based page that quickly built momentum by adopting the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest-mobilisation tactics. The digital campaign has now called for a physical, anti-reservation protest at Jantar Mantar on Friday (August 21).