NEW DELHI: Hours after activist Sonam Wangchuk was “forcibly” shifted to Safdarjung Hospital by Delhi Police on the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike Saturday morning, the agitation at Jantar Mantar continued, with CJP founder Abhijit Dipke taking over the fast and coming under an ink attack during the sit-in.A woman, whose identity police are yet to disclose, hurled blue ink at Dipke while he was addressing protesters, standing among the crowd.She was questioned by police, but was not detained. She was later heard raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogans in videos that surfaced online. Hours later, Dipke posted on social media, “Blue is my colour. Jai Bhim.”The protest began on June 20 over alleged NEET-UG irregularities.Three AISA activists, Neha, Ameen Amitoj and Manish Kumar, who also started fasting on June 28 with Wangchuk, are continuing their hunger strike. According to organisers, Neha has lost around 7.5kg, Amitoj 9.3kg and Kumar 10.4kg during this period.
Who are the three others who have been fasting for 21 days?
Dipke alleged that Wangchuk was taken away without his family’s consent.Holding up a copy of Constitution, he said, “I returned to my country trusting this Constitution. We have been sitting here for a month. Sonam sir… did not want to go. This morning only he asked me about the preparations for the July 20 march. I told him we were ready and only worried about his health.”Cockroach Janta Party asserted that they would go ahead with the July 20 march to Parliament.Criticising the police action, Dipke added, “If you were really concerned about his health, you could have taken him respectfully. He isnot a criminal.”CJP said the court’s directions were to monitor Wangchuk’s health, not to forcibly hospitalise him. They claimed Wangchuk had refused treatment and was still on hunger strike.Several independent protesters intensified their protest by beginning a nirjal (without water) fast. Some were seen wearing whiteheadbands with the word kafan (shroud) written on them.Videos circulating on social media purportedly showed men in plainclothes entering the protest site early morning, covering Wangchuk with a white sheet and taking him to an ambulance, while protesters tried to stop them.Several alleged they were manhandled and lathi-charged. Delhi Police, however, said Wangchukwas shifted “as per orders of the high court and on expert medical advice”, and denied allegations of lathi-charge.A day before, Wangchuk had rejected suggestions by doctors that he be hospitalised. In a video shared by CJP Saturday, he was heard saying, “That is not a disease or disorder. It is a self-chosen fast. A person on fast is not the same as somebody who is ill.”Calling Wangchuk’s removal “wrong”, Congress’ Rahul Gandhi said, “The core tenets of Modi govt are asatya and hinsa .”AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said the students were only demanding reforms in the examination system and an end to paper leaks, and appealed to central govt to listen to their demands. Activist Yogendra Yadav and CPM’s Brinda Karat visited Jantar Mantar, among others.Dipke’s parents are likely to join him at Jantar Mantar Sunday. Bhagwanrao Dipke, his father, said his son was “not a seasoned politician, but an ordinary citizen”, who had returned to India to campaign for students’ rights.
