Several students and young people gathered in Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram, on Wednesday to protest what they described as Delhi Police brutality against students and activist Sonam Wangchuk. The demonstration expressed solidarity with Wangchuk and the ongoing youth-led protests in the national capital over alleged irregularities in national entrance examinations. Participants raised slogans against the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sang popular songs from the film ‘3 Idiots’, whose central character was widely inspired by Wangchuk’s life and work.
The gathering took place amid growing support for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) campaign at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Wangchuk, a Ladakhi engineer, education reformer and environmentalist known for innovations such as the Ice Stupa and the SECMOL alternative school, joined an indefinite hunger strike on June 28. He and student activists have been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak scandal and broader failures in the examination system that have affected large numbers of aspirants.
On July 18, Delhi Police removed Wangchuk from the protest site and took him to Safdarjung Hospital. Authorities stated the action followed Delhi High Court directions and expert medical advice concerning his deteriorating health after more than 20 days of fasting on salt and water. Supporters and CJP organisers described the removal as forceful, alleging that police overpowered protesters attempting to prevent access to Wangchuk. Videos circulating online showed scenes of tension, and subsequent marches in Delhi saw reports of lathi charges, which police denied, insisting operations remained professional. Wangchuk later continued his fast from a hospital bed and was transferred to another facility under court orders.
In Aizawl, the local assembly of students and youth framed their action as solidarity against the handling of the Delhi protest. They argued that the police intervention violated democratic rights of peaceful dissent and reflected a pattern of suppressing youth voices on education issues. Slogans targeting the Modi government focused on accountability for exam scandals, alleged high-handedness by central agencies, and the broader demand for systemic reform. “The Prime Minister has no time to visit Mizoram or Manipur but he has time for melody…” protesters said referring to the recent viral video of PM Modi gifing a packet of melody chocolates to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
The singing of ‘3 Idiots’ tracks, including the upbeat “Give me some sunshine,” carried symbolic weight: the 2009 film’s protagonist, Phunsukh Wangdu, drew clear inspiration from Wangchuk’s real-life emphasis on practical learning, innovation and resistance to rote education. Protesters used the songs both as cultural reference and as a light-hearted yet pointed expression of resilience.
The Aizawl event forms part of a wider pattern of solidarity demonstrations reported from across India, where students and scholars have similarly called for the education minister’s resignation and greater transparency in national testing. The CJP movement, initiated by young activists frustrated by repeated paper leaks and the human cost of exam stress- including reported student suicides - has drawn attention from opposition leaders and public figures. It has also coincided with the Monsoon Session of Parliament, intensifying calls for debate on education governance.
