I am Jantar Mantar. I am an iconic protest venue of all sorts affecting day-to-day life of an aam aadmi. In the last two decades, I have seen plenty of such protests, an integral part of a liberal democracy. But November 26 is a symbolic day as the constitution was adopted on this day in 1949. And today, I witness twin parallel events from common man's perspective. My platform is being used to formally launch a political party. The venue will convene for congregation of Jan Sansad (However, the first day of Jan Sansad will take place at Mavlankar Hall) to highlight the common man's problems.

Unlike my neighbour - the parliament, where politicians come in their swankiest car, the aam aadmi is a hero here. They walk, take a bicycle or board a bus to reach the venue. Be it poor, the middle class or the rich, all have come and protested at my place. I am their hope. The aam aadmi has embraced this place as fish takes to water. Such is the significance, my venue has been utilised for many struggles, demonstrations and protests. Pamphlets, placards and slogan shouting are the USP of the place. It is like a walking history.

A new history is on the cards with anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal storming the bastion once again at the Jantar Mantar and launch a political party, named Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He has highlighted problems related to the "aam aadmi" and derided politicians for not helping the cause. Much to the politics of the United States in 1820s, when Andrew Jackson, a self made man and military hero became the seventh president of the country. Jackson enchanted the name of "common people" which alarmed the political, social and economic elite of that time. The civil society groups here allege that parliamentarians have held the rabble in complete contempt. So the common men have aired their frustration in the form of launching a political party. So is the Jan Sansad.

I don’t think I have witnessed the launch of a political party recently at this place. It’s a totally new experience for me. I know my place has immense historical importance. It was to this place that Maharaja Jai Singh II built one of the five astronomical instruments. Completed in 1724, I got the name Jantar Mantar. Even the Lutyen’s planned the new city – New Delhi around the observatory. The parliament is nearby. So is the Constitution Club and other important places.

Kejriwal will talk about his vision of guiding the country from this historic venue. Coinciding with Kejriwal’s party launch, more than 50 civil society groups led by famous activist Aruna Roy will also begin their own Jan Sansad (People’s Assembly). A few years ago, Kejriwal and Roy were part of a struggle which forced the government to enact the Right to Information Act. Roy was Kejriwal's mentor.

However, Kejriwal and Roy are embodiment of people's struggle. But their paths are different. Kejriwal has trudged the political path. Roy is adhering to the old democratic way of struggle in the form of protest. The commonality is that both the groups are guiding populism of common people. Changing the majority (opinion) requires a kind of courage, taking a risk to lead people from what they now think to what they might think.

Jan Sansad wants the parliamentarians to listen about the pending legislations. Roy will be peeling each layer of these legislations one by one in the five-day Jan Sansad. They are land acquisition, food security, seeds and biotechnology, grievance redressal, lokpal, whistle blower protection Act. The civil society groups say none of the legislations can afford to ignore people's point of view. They have been ignored for long. All these acts are dear for common man, affected without the passage of such legislations. People will air complain in the Jan Sansad. But I have limitations. I listen. I can only express my voice. I don't have power to act or formulate legislation. Call me a ‘poor cousin’ of parliament.

Virtually it is a countdown for 2014. When politicians threw gauntlet at civil society groups, they lapped it. Kejriwal took the challenge of forming a party. From my venue, he has said several times that common people are fed up of politicians, corruption and price rise. Roy's Jan Sansad coincides with the winter session of parliament. I have people's power. So Kejriwal's party is Aam Aadmi Party while Roy will put forward people's manifesto for the 2014 elections from Jantar Mantar.

So, I will be in news again.

Anna Hazare re-discovered me in April 2011 with his first struggle for Jan Lokpal. He gave me oxygen to breathe. Until then, I remained a symbol of insignificant protests. I want to tell you that I am an equivalent to some other protest sites of the world. Last year, I was equivalent (not in numbers) to Tahrir Square of Cairo (symbol of protests) where lakhs of supporters finally removed the three-decade old dictator Hosni Mubarak in the 18-day uprising. Twenty-three years ago, Tiananmen Square in Beijing became the symbol of democratic struggle for the common Chinese. But the communist dictators brutally quelled it. Indian protests are different. Hazare and Kejriwal (then together) wanted a strong Jan Lokpal bill. Both thundered from podium erected on Jantar Mantar for a strong Lokpal. Hazare went on a hunger strike. It was the same place where the activists poked fun at politicians. BJP leader Uma Bharti was heckled. Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala met the same fate at Jantar Mantar. Both these leaders were booed and forced to turn away from the place when they wanted to join the movement. The first India Against Corruption protest venue was no-no for political parties.

However, history is different now. Shunned by politcal parties, Kejriwal is following the same path of politics.

I still remember how youngsters came in hordes and graced the venue in April 2011. They shouted slogans for Lokpal. The wore caps with 'I am Anna' printed on them. The TV showcased poignant moments of struggle. No doubt, Jantar Mantar was the flavour of the month. Such was the pressure that the government had to succumb to the demand of the activists. Talks were arranged with the Team Anna. He broke the fast. Few rounds of talks between Team Anna and government took place. But it proved futile. At the same time, Baba Ramdev also announced his own version of protest against corruption. He protested at my neighbour Ramlila Maidan. He did not choose me. But I did not fade into oblivion.

Team Anna was back again at Jantar Mantar in July this year. Unlike last year, it was a low turnout. This time Kejriwal went on hunger strike. A bruised government after several levels of charges was unmoved with the protests. So Kejriwal decided to switch gear of protest path to political domain. Differences cropped up between Anna and Kejriwal. I have witnessed even that. Both decided to choose their own path. Many people wrote off Kejriwal and Anna. But Kejriwal has risen from phoenix.

However, I was not the first choice for the protest. Till the late eighties ‘Boat Club’ near Rajpath was the only venue for protests. Former prime minister VP Singh called protests at Boat Club several times. However, the biggest one was from Mahendra Singh Tikait who brought thousands of agitating farmers to the site. New Delhi was brought to halt. For a week in October 1988, the place was held hostage by Tikait’s army of cattles, supporters, as even they cooked food. It was only a litigation that rescued Boat Club and I (Jantar Mantar) was chosen as venue for protests. Slowly, I gained fame.

Since early 1990s I buzz with activities. Protests have become integral part of my life. Some protesters have camped here for months. Some have local demands, some with national aspirations. Even international issues have been brought here like Tibetans in exile have protested at Jantar Mantar many times. Irom Sharmila, the 'Iron Lady' from Manipur who is on hunger strike for the last twelve years to get AFPSA removed, had also protested at Jantar Mantar in 2006. She was arrested.

I am like focal pressure point of democracy. I am like pressure cooker's safety valve. I am the hope of common man. I have witnessed both civil society protests and protests from political parties. Several leaders have addressed from my place. Recently, BJP protested against price hike at Jantar Mantar. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee led party demonstration at the Jantar Mantar on FDI in multi-brand retail, cap on subsidised LPG and diesel price hike. The trade unions have also protested like most recently Kingfisher employees protest and Maruti union protesting for what happened in their plant at Manesar. Name any cause which was not discussed at Jantar Mantar.

I may lose the tag of protest venue if Delhi government is to be believed. However, in the days to come, I am not going to sit silent. Until the government choose a new site, I will be in news. I will throw new names in Indian democracy. I will remain in the history books.