Opposition parties on Saturday strongly criticised the Delhi Police for shifting climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from his hunger strike venue at Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital, accusing the Centre of suppressing peaceful dissent and weakening democratic values.
Wangchuk was taken to the hospital early on Saturday, the 21st day of his indefinite fast demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. Delhi Police said the move was carried out on medical advice and in compliance with directions issued by the Delhi High Court after his health deteriorated.
Reacting to the development, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray accused the government of stifling democratic rights.
"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," Thackeray said in a post on X.
The Congress also condemned the police action, alleging that the government viewed peaceful protests as a law-and-order issue rather than a constitutional right.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said successive protests by farmers, wrestlers, students, Dalits, Adivasis and environmental activists had been met with force instead of dialogue.
"Anyone who raises their voice is labelled anti-national or a parasite. What happened at Jantar Mantar today is another blot on our democracy and Constitution," Kharge said in a post on X.
Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned the role of the Union Home Ministry, under which the Delhi Police functions, alleging that the latest action reflected political priorities over constitutional responsibilities.
He also referred to previous protests involving wrestlers and ex-servicemen, claiming the government had repeatedly cracked down on peaceful demonstrations instead of addressing grievances.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police maintained that Wangchuk's hospitalisation was necessary due to his declining health and was carried out in accordance with the Delhi High Court's directions. Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma said the activist was receiving appropriate medical care.
Police said a few protesters attempted to obstruct the transfer, leading to a brief commotion, but officers exercised restraint while completing the operation. Authorities also appealed to protesters to peacefully vacate the Jantar Mantar protest site.
Soon after Wangchuk was shifted, Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that police had used force against protesters. In a post on X, he claimed he was assaulted and briefly detained after leaving the protest venue to freshen up. Dipke called for nationwide demonstrations against the police action.
The CJP also shared a video on social media that purportedly showed Wangchuk being taken away from the protest site covered with a white sheet. The authenticity of the video has not been independently verified.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also criticised the Centre's handling of the protest. Party chief Arvind Kejriwal said the government should have engaged in discussions with Wangchuk instead of removing him from the protest site.
"Such arrogance is not right. Instead of forcibly lifting him, the Central government should have talked to Sonam Wangchuk," Kejriwal posted on X, urging the Centre to address concerns over the country's examination system rather than suppress protests.
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia accused the government of trying to silence those raising questions over paper leaks, while Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged that no representative of the Centre had attempted to hold talks with Wangchuk during his 21-day fast.
Singh claimed the police action came just ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party's proposed march to Parliament on July 20 and appealed to young people to continue supporting the agitation. He said attempts to curb the movement through force would not succeed.
AAP's Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that plainclothes police personnel used white bedsheets to block cameras while removing Wangchuk, a claim that has not been independently verified.
Wangchuk and three activists associated with the All India Students' Association (AISA) have been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 in support of the CJP-led campaign demanding accountability over alleged NEET irregularities. Organisers say all four have suffered significant health deterioration during the protest.
