1
“Log hamesha ‘Mann ki Baat’ sunte rahenge to ‘Mann ki Baat’ bolenge kab?”
— Overheard in a flower shop by protesters pretending to be tourists.
2
“Of course we support people’s right to protest peacefully. But we reserve the right to decide if they can do it in public.”
— Overheard on a Broadcast news channel.
3
“Pehle ghar mein cardio karta tha. Ab protest mein karta hoon.”
— Overheard in the Decathlon running section.
4
“CM Rekha Gupta finally addressed the public…at a Dandiya Raas.”
— Overheard in a cafe near the protest site.
5
“Abhi violently aur illegally detain mat karo, mere court order aate hi honge.”
— Overheard outside the Supreme Court.
6
“If these protesters are so ‘peaceful’, why do they scream so loud when we drag them away?”
— Overheard outside a police van.
7
“MP se Delhi protest karne aaye the, but bus mein baith baith kar Dilli darshan ho gayi.”
— Overheard in a bus full of detainees.
8
“I came here to play real-life Subway Surfers…the government is already playing Temple Run.”
— Overheard outside a metro station, where a protester stands barefoot because their slippers had been lost.
9
“I heard that saari Bollywood bhi bus pakad kar ja rahi thi.”
“Detention bus?”
“Nahi, Ambani ki Swadesh party ki bus.”
— Overheard between two news reporters in Mumbai.
10
“Sir, shirt phatt gayi, mummy maaregi. Chupaana padega jaake, jaane do.”
— Overheard near a barricade.
11
“I went to a protest and all I came back with was a sense of solidarity, injuries, and content for this humour piece (the police snatched my phone, wallet, bag, and ID).”
— Overheard in a team meeting on Monday morning.
12
“Itni police hai ki police ko bhi lag raha hai ki unhe police ne gher liya hai.”
— Overheard on a volunteer WhatsApp group.
13
“UN ko bolo yahaan ghar ki baat ghar mein hi rakhte hain.”
— Overheard at a detention centre.
14
“Kabaddi kabaddi kabaddi kabaddi.”
— Overheard in Mumbai as a crowd cheered on a protester trying to escape the police.
