Jantar Mantar was democracy’s safety valve. What happens now?

A 27-year-old IT professional named Suraj Kushwah has created a satirical browser-based video game called Jantar Mantar Chalo to capture the essence of the Gen Z protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi. The game, which has gone viral, allows players to choose between two sides: protesters (Andolankaris) and the Delhi Police, adding a layer of dark humor to the chaotic protest landscape.

Inspired by "Jantar Mantar 2.0", Kushwah, who goes by the online name "bugswriter," developed the game over two sleepless nights. The game's core mechanic, inspired by the popular multiplayer game Slither, involves players navigating a tug-of-war where numbers dictate power. Pop-up notifications, reminiscent of real-life unpredictability, add to the game's satirical edge, such as a news ticker satirising contemporary headlines.

The game also includes an ideological coin toss, with a 50-50 chance of encountering a news crew, which can either amplify your message or strip away members of your crowd depending on the channel encountered. Kushwah shared that he was confident the game would go viral from the beginning.