New Delhi: Citing medical advice and Delhi High Court directions, police whisked away activist Sonam Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital Saturday morning on the 21st day of his hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar here, drawing sharp condemnation from opposition parties which accused the government of curbing dissent.
Ignoring police’s call to leave the protest site, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) escalated its agitation over the NEET paper leak issue with its founder Abhijeet Dipke announcing an indefinite hunger strike soon after the crackdown.
The outfit, which has been pressing for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s removal, demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation and vowed to press ahead with its planned march to Parliament July 20.
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Hospital authorities issued a bulletin at 3.30 pm, saying Wangchuk, 59, has refused intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solution and other medications despite signs of dehydration and metabolic abnormalities.
He is being continuously monitored and counselled to accept treatment in the interest of his health, they said.
The CJP later said on X that Wangchuk has not broken his hunger strike and he will continue it from hospital.
Early morning police action
Dramatic scenes unfolded at around 7 am as a large contingent of police personnel, many in plainclothes, descended at the protest site barely 2-3 kilometres from Parliament House, with paramilitary personnel forming a cordon around the stage where a visibly frail Wangchuk was resting.
Using white sheets as a screen, the police personnel approached Wangchuk as chaos erupted in the background, with some protesters jostling with security personnel to approach the activist, who was lifted and carried to an ambulance.
It happened so fast that nobody could understand what was going on, said 22-year-old Talha, who had arrived from Patna the previous night after following the protest for days.
People started running towards the stage. Everyone was trying to stop the police and make videos, but all we could see were the white sheets. Before we could get there, they had already taken him away, Talha told PTI.
According to eyewitnesses, the number of protesters was relatively less in the morning when police arrived and Dipke was not present as he had gone to freshen up.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma told PTI that Wangchuk was hospitalised in accordance with the Delhi High Court’s directions after his health worsened and was receiving the required medical intervention.
In a statement, Delhi Police said that Wangchuk was shifted for essential medical care following expert medical advice and in compliance with the high court’s orders. Some protesters tried to obstruct the exercise, leading to a brief commotion, but police personnel exercised maximum restraint and completed the operation successfully, it said.
The police also appealed to the protesters to peacefully vacate the protest site at the earliest.
At the Jantar Mantar site, security was stepped up and gradually protesters started to regroup. Dipke broke down on the stage and his associates consoled him.
While he was addressing a gathering hours later, a woman hurled an ink-like liquid on Dipke and was detained. She was identified by police as men’s rights activist Barkha Trehan.
CJP alleges police high-handedness
I have been beaten up and put under detention by Delhi Police, Dipke said in a post on X.
Dipke said he had gone to a friend’s house to freshen up and alleged he was beaten by police and detained for some time. He called for protests across the country against the police action.
In a post on X, CJP shared a video of Wangchuk being removed from the protest site in a white sheet.
A frail old man, after 20 days of a hunger strike, was picked up, wrapped in white sheets and taken away by Delhi Police. This is a national shame, the CJP said.
AISA members Neha, Aameen and Manish, however, continued their hunger strike at the protest site day 21. According to AISA, protesters formed a human chain around them and stopped the police from forcefully removing the three hunger strikers.
Wangchuk and the three activists from AISA have been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 in support of the CJP-led protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and the reported deaths of students linked to the controversy.
Opposition leaders slam govt
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the action against a person on a non-violent hunger strike was wrong and accused the government of relying on Asatya and Hinsa (falsehood and violence).
Opposition parties united in condemning the action and accused the government of undermining democratic freedoms, curbing dissent and choosing force over dialogue.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who had met Wangchuk Thursday, appealed to citizens to join the ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar.
Gandhi said paper leaks, the rising cost of education and student suicides were critical issues for India’s future, adding that no amount of force can deter India’s students, and those of us who love and believe in them, from raising these issues.
NCP(SP) leader Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, DMK MP Kanimozhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee also hit out at the government and said it should engage in dialogue with protesters.
What a shame! The world watches democracy in India being broken by force, shamelessly, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said in a post on X.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat alleged that the action was an attempt to bulldoze democratic and constitutional values and undermine accountability.
The BJP maintained that authorities acted with empathy, balancing the court’s directions with the imperative of protecting life and questioned the outrage.
Wangchuk refuses treatment Hospital
Wangchuk was brought to the Sadarjung hospital by Delhi Police and admitted at 740 am. He was conscious with stable pulse, blood pressure and oxygen saturation. Signs of dehydration were seen, the hospital said in its health bulletin.
Although intravenous fluids were advised but the patient has refused all intravenous fluids, oral rehydration fluid or any other medication. He is being continuously monitored and counselled for treatment in best interest of his health, the statement said.
Sources in the know of the developments also said that doctors are also counselling his family to allow treatment.
Shortly after his hospitalisation, Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, asked the hospital not to administer any treatment without her consent, alleging a lack of transparency in his medical care.
Friday, doctors said Wangchuk had lost nearly 9.5 kg since the beginning of the hunger strike.
