Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for the past 20 days, was taken to Safdarjung Hospital in south Delhi on Saturday morning amid heavy police deployment at the protest site. The development came a day after Anurag Kumar assumed charge as the Delhi Police Commissioner. The police action sparked a brief commotion at Jantar Mantar as some supporters attempted to prevent Wangchuk from being taken away.
Delhi Police, however, said the move was carried out in compliance with the directions of the Delhi High Court and on expert medical advice, citing the activist’s deteriorating health condition. Delhi Police said Wangchuk was shifted to the hospital in compliance with the directions of the Delhi High Court and on the advice of medical experts, citing his deteriorating health condition. In a post on X, the Delhi Police Commissioner said, “As per orders of Hon’ble High Court and on expert medical advice due to the deteriorating health condition of Sh.
Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care. While complying with the orders of Hon’ble High Court, the protestors tried to create obstruction, in which slight commotion ensued. However, police exercised maximum restraint and carried out the exercise safely.
We request the protestors at Jantar Mantar to peacefully vacate the place at the earliest.” Delhi Police also appealed to the demonstrators to disperse peacefully, saying, “We request the protestors at Jantar Mantar to peacefully vacate the place at the earliest.” Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike entered its 21st day on Saturday and has drawn support from several civil society groups and activists. Meanwhile, Abhijit Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party, alleged during an Instagram Live session that he had stepped out to brush at a friend’s residence but was prevented by Delhi Police from leaving. Claiming he had effectively been placed under house arrest, Dipke showed the gate of the housing society locked, with a Delhi Police personnel stationed outside.
Earlier in the day, some protesters alleged on social media that an attempt had been made to attack Wangchuk. However, there was no indication that he had sustained any serious injuries, and no such injury was officially reported. Several Opposition leaders on Saturday criticised the Delhi Police alleging that the action amounted to the suppression of a peaceful protest.
In a post on X, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia accused the Centre of attempting to silence those raising their voice over paper leaks. “So, this is the solution Modi ji has given for paper leaks… Beat up with goons whoever raises their voice against paper leaks and don’t let them raise their voice at all. This isn’t politics, it’s cowardice.
What a reign of thugs,” Sisodia wrote. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also criticised the police action, alleging that Wangchuk, who had been on an indefinite hunger strike for 21 days, was forcibly taken away instead of having his demands addressed. “What kind of thuggery is this going on?
Modi ji, this arrogance of power doesn’t last long. The very youth you’re beating with batons will uproot your throne. One person @Wangchuk66 who has been on a fast unto death for the past 21 days, instead of listening to his demands, was forcibly admitted to the hospital,” Singh posted on X.
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose also condemned the police action, calling it an instance of “coercive state violence.” “What sort of shocking coercive state violence is this? The morally bankrupt @narendramodi regime only knows how to use the danda. UNACCEPTABLE,” she wrote on X.
Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav described the police action as an assault on democracy. “Forcibly removing Sonam Wangchuk is not just one action, but an assault on democracy and the Constitution. The BJP government can no longer tolerate even peaceful protests — this is tyranny,” she said in a post on X.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday criticised the central government after the removal of Sonam Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar by the Delhi police, on the 21st day of the scientist’s hunger strike. Gandhi, in a social media post, said that the core tenets of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre are “falsehood and violence.” “The removal of Sonam Wangchuk ji from Jantar Mantar while he was on a non-violent hunger strike is wrong,” Gandhi said on his X account. Gandhi said the paper leaks, the rising cost of education and student suicides were among the most important issues affecting the country’s future.
He added that the voices of students and their families protesting over these concerns cannot be subdued. “No amount of force can deter India’s students, and those of us who love and believe in them, from raising these issues,” Gandhi said. Activist Sonam Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike for the past 20 days, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG paper leak.
Delhi police personnel reached Jantar Mantar on Saturday dressed in civilian clothes and carried Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital in an ambulance. Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke returned to the protest site following the incident and alleged that he was assaulted and detained by the Delhi Police. He also announced that he would begin an indefinite hunger strike.
Dipke further claimed that he was denied entry to the protest site at Jantar Mantar.
