Wangchuk had been on an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi since June 28 in support of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and the alleged deaths of students linked to the controversy.
Delhi Police on Saturday shifted Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital from the Jantar Mantar protest site after his health deteriorated on the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike, citing medical advice and directions of the Delhi High Court
MVA allies Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) slammed the Union government over the action.
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Speaking to reporters in Baramati, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar asserted that while the government moved to hospitalise Wangchuk as the situation became “uncontrollable”, the protest would continue regardless of the action against the activist.
“The Centre didn’t handle the situation carefully, and it impacted the future of several students. The government remained a bystander as other political parties came to support him (Wangchuk). Leaders from Congress, NCP (SP), including Supriya Sule and many others, paid a visit there (Jantar Mantar) and raised a common demand,” the veteran politician said.Pawar said the demand was genuine and was for the betterment of the students, but none of the leaders from the government, despite being in Delhi, visited the protest site.
“It means that the government is irresponsible. This issue will not end here, as the Parliament session is scheduled to begin, it will be discussed there too,” he said, adding that the protest will continue despite action against Wangchuk.
Talking to reporters in Nagpur ahead of his party’s ‘Ram Raksha’ programme, Uddhav Thackeray said the government does not value the life of citizens, and urged the Centre to talk to the protesting youth.
“It is shameful how Wangchuk was removed from Jantar Mantar. Wangchuk is on the verge of sacrificing is life and several youth are on hunger strike but the BJP government does not care about the lives of citizens or the youth,” he said.
The government, which cannot conduct exams like NEET properly, must say how many youths have to sacrifice their lives before Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns, the former Maharashtra chief minister added.
On the police citing medical advice and directions of the Delhi High Court to remove Wangchuk, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said police should show these orders.
In a post on X, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said, “What a shame! The world watches democracy in India being broken by force, shamelessly.”
“Even peaceful protests for students against an incompetent minister are not tolerated anymore,” the MLA wrote.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal said on X, “If even movements started through democratic means are not acceptable to the government, then it is clear that what has begun in this country is not democracy, but dictatorship.”
Instead of taking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, forcibly removing Wangchuk from protest site and admitting him to the hospital, and using police force against the protesters is unbecoming of democracy, he added.
In a separate post, he put a 1984 photo of Wangchuk’s father Sonam Wangyal with the then prime minister Indira Gandhi, saying the latter personally came to Leh to meet Wangyal, and persuaded him to end his hunger strike. Wangyal was fasting to demand Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the indigenous communities of Ladakh.
He captioned the photo saying, “This is the difference between leadership and dictatorship.”
Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar alleged that the Centre’s action against Wangchuk reflected an “authoritarian mindset” and amounted to suppression of democratic dissent.
In a statement, he said the use of police force against Wangchuk, who has been on a prolonged hunger strike, was “unfortunate and condemnable”.
Instead of initiating dialogue with a Gandhian protester, the Union government resorted to force, he said.
“The BJP government is trying to silence every voice raised against it. Democracy survives on discussion and dissent, not intimidation,” Wadettiwar said.
He alleged that detaining Wangchuk instead of engaging with him exposed the Centre’s “dictatorial approach”, and urged the government to hold talks with the activist rather than suppress the agitation.
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NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil said the police action to shift Wangchuk to a hospital without giving due consideration to his demands was “deeply concerning”.
In a post on X, the former state minister said the action appeared to be an attempt to suppress the ongoing agitation.
“In democracy, every citizen has the fundamental right to protest and express their opinion,” he said.
Patil urged the Centre to hold “sensitive discussions” on the protesters’ demands and work towards a solution instead of resorting to such action.
“The voice of the people must be heard in democracy,” he said.
