New Delhi: Social activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike at the capital’s Jantar Mantar for the past 20 days, was removed by the Delhi Police. The police took this action following High Court directives prompted by concerns over his deteriorating health. He was taken directly to a hospital, where his health condition will be monitored and treated.
Simultaneously, other protesters are also being cleared from the Jantar Mantar site. Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike since June 28, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over paper leak incidents in major examinations like NEET. The Delhi Police issued a significant statement after removing him from the protest site.
Delhi Police Issues Statement
A statement from the Delhi Police was released following Wangchuk’s removal from Jantar Mantar. The police stated that, in accordance with court orders and the advice of medical experts, he was shifted to a hospital for medical care due to his declining health.
Amidst his continuously deteriorating health, Wangchuk had released a video message on Friday night stating that he had lost 20 per cent of his body weight. He mentioned that his muscles had also been severely affected, though his morale and mental state remained strong.
In the video message, Wangchuk urged citizens to participate in large numbers in the ‘Chalo Sansad’ (March to Parliament) protest scheduled for July 20. He argued that if governments can be held accountable for onion prices, there is an equal need for accountability regarding the future of millions of students and alleged irregularities in the education system. He noted that several students had died by suicide following the NEET controversy and emphasised that the government needs to address this issue.
CJP Spokesperson Shares Details
Members of the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ (CJP) have been standing firm alongside Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar. Party spokesperson Saurabh Das has now shared details regarding the situation. He stated that the Delhi Police detained Abhijit Dipke at his place of stay.
I have learned from others that Sonam Wangchuk has been removed from the protest site. Before this action, the police had resorted to a lathi-charge against students. Sonam Wangchuk had been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28, and his health was deteriorating.
Key demands associated with the movement
The most significant demand made by social activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk and the organisations associated with the movement has been the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. They alleged that the alleged irregularities and paper leak incidents in competitive examinations, including NEE, T, have shattered the trust of lakhs of students across the country.
Therefore, there is a need to fix political accountability for this. The protesters have demanded an impartial inquiry into the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), a transparent investigation into the paper leak cases, and large-scale reforms in the examination system.
