While the Government was quick to blame the protesters for unruly protests and violence, justifying the imposition of prohibitory orders and the use of force, fingers were also pointed to the ‘unseen’ political hands which allowed a large crowd to assemble at Parivartan Chowk. Several eyewitness accounts claimed that the protests were peaceful but violence was ‘engineered’.

The protest call was given by social organisations, members of civil society and the Samajwadi Party. They had announced that protests would be held at Parivartan Chowk and Hazratganj. The administration was ready as Section 144 was promulgated and any gathering was declared unlawful. DGP Singh went on record saying that all protests had been “declared illegal”—something which activists claimed was illegal and unconstitutional.