MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday came out in support of activist Sonam Wangchuk and the students’ agitation, accusing the Centre of displaying “indifference” towards the ongoing protest and failing to engage with the demonstrators despite the agitation continuing for nearly three weeks.Addressing a press conference, Pawar said the future of thousands of students was at stake and urged the Union government to arrive at an appropriate solution instead of remaining a “mute spectator”.“The protesters have been demanding that the Centre find a suitable resolution, but the government is merely watching from the sidelines. As a political party, we will continue to support Sonam Wangchuk’s demands,” Pawar said.Expressing concern over Wangchuk’s prolonged hunger strike, the veteran leader said efforts should be made to ensure that the fast ends at the earliest, while making it clear that the larger movement should continue until the issues raised by the protesters are addressed.Pawar said leaders from the Congress, the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and several organisations associated with social justice movements had extended support to the agitation.He also criticised the Centre for what he described as its lack of outreach to the protesters.“The protesters’ demands are legitimate and are in the interest of students. Even after 20 days, the Central government has not sent its representatives to the protest site. This reflects its indifference,” Pawar said.Accusing the government of ignoring the issue, Pawar remarked that the Centre was behaving “as if it had blindfolded itself” to the concerns being raised by Wangchuk and the protesters.The Rajya Sabha MP said he would raise the matter in Parliament and seek priority discussion on the issue.Sonam Wangchuk has been leading the protest over issues concerning Ladakh, with students and supporters joining the agitation. Pawar’s intervention adds to the political backing the movement has received from opposition parties, even as they urge the Centre to initiate dialogue and find an early resolution.
