‘India’s Second Freedom Movement’: Sonam Wangchuk Urges Support For July 20 Parliament March

Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was “forcefully” moved to Safdarjung hospital from Jantar Mantar, appealed to people to join the march to Parliament on Monday, July 20, describing the protest as India’s “second freedom movement”.

Wangchuk issued the appeal through a handwritten note that was shared by his wife while he was undergoing treatment at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. He described his hospitalisation as an “illegal detention”.

“The second movement for independence; India free from fear, India free from injustice,” Wangchuk wrote in the note.

The activist has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 22 days. He has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and supported a similar call made by the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP.

Wangchuk and the CJP have sought accountability over alleged irregularities in government examinations, including controversies surrounding the NEET-UG examination.

Wangchuk Taken To Safdarjung Hospital

Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday after the Delhi High Court directed authorities to monitor his health as his indefinite fast continued.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, however, alleged that Wangchuk had been “forcibly removed” from the protest site and taken to the hospital. He also accused the authorities of assaulting the activist.

Dipke, who returned from Boston last month, has also announced an indefinite hunger strike. He has said the protest seeks accountability from the BJP-led Union government over examination-related failures and the state of the country’s education system.

CJP Calls For ‘Chalo Sansad’ March

The CJP has urged its supporters and other citizens to participate in a march towards Parliament on July 20.

The proposed “Chalo Sansad” demonstration is part of the group’s campaign demanding Pradhan’s resignation and reforms aimed at improving the education system.

Delhi Police has said that protesters will not be permitted to march towards the Parliament complex, maintaining that the proposed demonstration does not have official approval.

“CJP spokesperson Abhijeet Dipke has never informed us or applied for a permission for the Sansad Chalo march. It’s a completely illegal protest because they only had permission for one day. We even made them sign undertakings. Now, they have extended it without any permission. Also, for the march, we only approached them but they have not even applied for a permission,” a senior police officer close to the matter told Hindustan Times.

CJP spokesperson Vaishnavi Gaur rejected the police’s claim. She maintained that the group had sought permission and that police officials had been informed about the planned march.