Developed by a 27-year-old IT professional, the game draws inspiration from the recent calls for ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’Amid the ongoing protests and detentions in Delhi, a new video game is offering a satirical take on the struggle to reach Jantar Mantar. Called ‘Jantar Mantar Chalo’, the game lets players experience the situation from either side of the barricades, choosing to join the protesters or play as the Delhi Police.Developed by a 27-year-old IT professional, the game draws inspiration from the recent calls for ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’. Its description lays out two options for players: “Build a kafila, dodge the police, reach Jantar Mantar and hold the dharna. Or be the police and stop them.”Players begin by entering a name, with the option to use a made-up username, before deciding which side they want to join. Those choosing “Andolankari” are instructed to “Walk into people to grow your kafila. Reach Jantar Mantar.” Meanwhile, players opting for “Dilli Police” are told to “Break kafilas with the lathi, lift leaders onto the bus. Watch out for big crowds!”Once players have picked their roles, the game explains the controls and how to navigate the virtual protest. But reaching the destination is not always straightforward. Internet shutdowns can leave players without a working minimap, which displays the message “no signal u/s 163”. Getting detained comes with its own consequences, with players dropped off at distant locations such as the Kapashera border or Narela Stadium.These details turn ‘Jantar Mantar Chalo’ into a tongue-in-cheek simulation of the obstacles protesters can face while trying to reach the capital’s designated protest site. Players can build their crowds, evade police action or attempt to disperse demonstrators, depending on the role they choose. The game also supports online multiplayer, allowing people to play together.The game was created by Suraj Kushwah, a Bareilly-based DevOps engineer who works at oneplay.in. Known on Instagram as bugswriter, Kushwah also runs a YouTube channel focused on Linux.Watch the video: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Suraj Kushwah (@bugswriter) Kushwah shared a reel about the game on Instagram, which quickly gained traction and was subsequently shared by influencers. The game is available to play at “mantarjantar.com.”Story continues below this adAs the game gained attention online, social media users began sharing their reactions, with some amused by the premise and others suggesting additional features.“We got jantar mantar protest simulator before gta vi,” one user commented.“This is the most evil thing I saw today,” another quipped.“I will become police and let everyone pass,” a third user wrote.Story continues below this ad“Please add one option for “the court” who just want to see the game getting played,” another suggested.