Wangchuk dumped in hospital

Civil Society News, New Delhi

On the 20^th day of his fast at Jantar Mantar, Sonam Wangchuk was crudely picked up by the Delhi Police and transferred to Safdarjung Hospital.

Little was known about his condition and his wife, Gitanjali said from the hospital, that details of the tests done on him hadn’t been shared with her though he seemed okay.

Wangchuk was on fast in support of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has brought together students from all over the country to seek changes in the education system in India.

Wangchuk is a peace-loving climate activist, educator  and inventor who has been on fast to persuade the government to talk to the students.

He was carried out in white sheets by burly plainclothesmen of the Delhi Police despite his frail condition after 20 days of only water and no food. The police cited court orders but court proceedings show that the government was permitted to only monitor his condition. It wasn’t ordered that he be picked up. 

It is now almost certain that a march to Parliament planned for July 20 will not be permitted. It appears the Narendra Modi government panicked at the support the student protest has been receiving, including from political parties. The latest has been the Congress.

Call of the Cockroach: July cover story

 The early Saturday morning developments took place in a flash when Abhijeet Dipke and Ashutosh Ranka, both key figures in the CJP protest, had left Jantar Mantar briefly after spending the night out in the open there with Wangchuk and other protesters who include 22 students also on hunger strike.

Through the day, the police attempted to disperse supporters of the protest who have been camping at Jantar Mantar since June 20 asking for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. 

Student protesters rallying around the CJP want Pradhan to be accountable for a dysfunctional centralized exam system and repeated leaks of question papers. There have been innumerable student suicides under his watch.

Voices coming out of Jantar Mantar gave some idea of what had transpired.

Dipke said he would now go on a fast in protest and that the agitation would continue. While earlier only Pradhan’s resignation was being sought, the CJP now  wanted Narendra Modi to resign as Prime Minister.

Neha Bora, one of the fasting students posted: “Rapid Action Force and police personnel try to break the rope boundary around our tent to enter and detain the hunger strikers. Due to the presence of many volunteers, they were not able to detain us. But Delhi Police’s attempt at ending the democratic, peaceful protest by force is shameful.”

“On one hand, the government does not acknowledge ordinary students and Sonam Wangchuk on hunger strike for 21 days.”

“To add to that, on the 21st day of the hunger strike, they try to forcefully remove us using violence to admit us to the hospital. I appeal to all of you to reach Jantar Mantar. This movement has not yet ended.”