Delhi’s Gen Z protests go digital: ‘Jantar Mantar Chalo’ game goes viral where protesters evade police | Today’s news

Gen Z protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is now going digital!

27-year-old IT professional Suraj Kushwah developed Jantar Mantar Chalo, a satirical browser-based video game that transforms the high-stakes friction of Delhi’s protesting landscape into an interactive digital battlefield.

Inspired by “Jantar Mantar 2.0”, the game allows players to choose between two sides: the protesters (Andolankaris) and the Delhi Police.

According to The Print, Bareilly-based Kushwah, who works as a DevOps engineer at oneplay.in and runs a Linux-focused YouTube channel, calls himself a “bugswriter” online.

“I was following the news about the current protests. A lot of people were trying to reach Jantar Mantar and they were finding different ways,” Kushwah told the publication about the game he built over two sleepless nights. “I had this concept and it’s kind of dark humor to me, so I thought, let’s make a game.”

Ever since he shared the gameplay video on Instagram, he has gained massive traction. After Kushwaha’s reel went viral and was shared by influencers, the number of players online consistently crossed 1,500, The Print said.

Choose your side: Andolankari vs Delhi Police

Rather than a traditional linear platformer, Jantar Mantar Chalo borrows its core mechanics from the popular multiplayer game Slither, putting players in a tug-of-war where numbers dictate strength, Kushwah told the publication.

Players choose one of two sides:

Satire in the streets

The Print emphasized that the play functions as a sharp social commentary on the logistical minefield of the modern public assembly.

As players progress, pop-up notifications mimic the unpredictability of real life:

• The gates of the DMRC metro station suddenly close, the local mobile internet connection goes down without warning and lathi charges erupt.
• Detained protesters find themselves dumped in far-flung peripheries like Narela or the Kapashera border, forcing them to find their way back to central Delhi.
• The urban environment is littered with familiar urban obstacles – potholed streets, overflowing garbage cans, and stray cows blocking intersections.
• A roadside tea stall offers temporary cover while the local Gurudwara serves as a designated safe haven.

The news ticker satirizes current headlines with blank inserts at the bottom of the player’s screen:

“Tear gas cartridges found past expiration date, protesters file consumer complaint.”

“Report on paper leak probe also leaked, officials confirm…”

The game also features an ideological coin toss: meeting the news crew has a 50:50 chance. Hitting independent media amplifies your message and draws fresh recruits to your parade, but reaching out to established channels will alienate members of your crowd.

Before launching the game, Kushwah told his friend what would happen: “I was damn sure it was going to go viral,” he said.