The Delhi High Court on Friday questioned the government over continuing to allow protests at Jantar Mantar, with Justice Amit Mahajan asking why the site was not being shut down as a designated protest venue.Hearing a plea seeking permission to protest at Jantar Mantar, the Delhi HC said the city should not be "put to ransom unnecessarily" by demonstrations. (PTI file)Hearing a plea by the All India Dalit Christian Rights Protection Committee seeking directions to the Delhi Police to decide its application for permission to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar, Justice Mahajan remarked that the city should not be "put to ransom unnecessarily" by demonstrations in the heart of the capital.“Why don’t you shut it down? According to me, these things should not happen in the city, but it’s the government’s call. Why should the city be put to ransom unnecessarily?” the judge asked, according to a Bar and Bench report.Also Read | No more protests at Jantar Mantar? Supreme Court to hear plea against suitability of Delhi siteSenior Advocate Sanjoy Ghose, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the Delhi Police had neither approved nor rejected the organisation's request, which has been pending since July.“We are saying maximum 75 people will come. They (Delhi Police) are sitting on our application since July. They have not rejected it,” Ghose told the court.‘Why cannot Centre shut down Jantar Mantar:’Justice Mahajan then asked Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma why the government could not simply shut down Jantar Mantar as a protest site.“According to me, why don’t you shut this down? It shouldn’t be inside Delhi,” the judge said.Responding, ASG Sharma said the issue was already before the Supreme Court, which is examining whether “Jantar Mantar can at all be a designated protest site”. “According to me, it shouldn’t be,” Justice Mahajan replied.Also Read | Listening to youth is ‘most powerful force’ to prevent protest violence: Supreme CourtGhose then asked whether it was the Centre’s position that no protests should be allowed in Delhi.Justice Mahajan responded, “That’s for the police to decide. If they can’t afford to have protests inside the city, that’s…”“Fair enough, let them say so that there will be no democratic, peaceful protests in Delhi. We will accept it,” Ghose said, according to Bar and Bench report.Not against democratic right to protest: Justice MahajanJustice Mahajan clarified he was not questioning the democratic nature of protests but objected to the city being 'put to ransom'. ASG Sharma then cited Section 144 and Independence Day security concerns, saying gatherings of 75 could swell unpredictably, according tp news agency PTI. The court directed Delhi Police to decide the protest permission request by August 8.Jantar Mantar, located in the heart of the national capital, recently witnessed massive protests against the NEET-UG paper leak. The agitation, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, saw a sea of students and even their families protesting against the irregularities in the exam system and the NEET paper leak.