80 pizzas, 34 burgers, 200 samosas: How the CJP protest was overwhelmed by support

Delivery riders circled the intersection of Tolstoy Marg and Sansad Marg in New Delhi on Tuesday as hundreds of well-wishers began ordering food for students and protesters at the Jantar Mantar site, creating a logistical strain that forced organisers to ask people to stop sending more supplies.

Overseas and local orders flood the site.

“Since morning, I have done 20 rounds here to deliver pizzas. Out of that, four orders were from the U.S. Other delivery agents from our restaurant are also coming here,” a delivery boy told The Hindu. “One order today was a single order of 80 pizzas. Even our manager came to deliver because there were too many orders and we could not manage it,” he added.

Orders poured in from across the country and abroad, with customers specifying Jantar Mantar as the delivery location and instructing riders to hand the food to protesters. Items ranged from pizzas and burgers to momos and thaalis; quantities varied from a few cups of chai to hundreds of snacks.

“Some people asked us to send a photo or video as proof,” the delivery boy said, describing how third parties often collected and transferred the food inside the protest perimeter. On one occasion, he said, the person who took the order onto the site used his phone to speak to the buyer and reassured them: “You are doing a good job. You are from Bihar? My friend is also from Bihar; talk to him.”

READ THIS: After being hounded by CJP supporters, Omar Abdullah flees Jantar Mantar in auto 

Food donations come in from all over India 

A donor who placed one of the large orders told the publication that he was originally from Bihar but currently studying nursing in Bangalore. “I had also written NEET in the past, and then the question paper got leaked. I later gave it up and took up nursing. I can’t come there now, but I wanted to show support to the students protesting, and that is why I ordered pizzas,” he said.

Riders and volunteers ferrying supplies reported repeated trips and long waits. “I have made 18 trips so far. The orders ranged from 10 cups of chai to 34 burgers to 200 samosas,” said a volunteer, who rode his bike to the junction. “I sent photos to some people of the food being distributed,” he added.

He further said one request required him to enter the protest site and return, a round that took an hour for which he earned just Rs. 20. “But I still did it. I felt happy to distribute food inside for the students. I also have two children, and these people are protesting for the right cause,” he said.

Organisers plead for pause on donations

Volunteers at the site said that by late evening, distribution had become difficult due to the sheer volume of donations. "He and his brother have been bringing food from the intersection to the protest site for hours, and now there are not many takers," said other volunteer.

Another volunteer, who delivered his sixth order on Tuesday, handed momos to an on-site volunteer who promised to distribute them among protesters. The delivery instruction on the food delivery app on his phone read, “Please offer this to anyone at the Jantar Mantar protest site.” 

Following this, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) urged sympathisers to stop sending more food. “India is such a beautiful country with such beautiful people — thanks for sending food for protesters. We are so overwhelmed. BUT for today, we have received more than enough food — please don’t send any more!” the CJP official handle posted on X.