Student organisations staged protests in Delhi on Saturday after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was removed from his protest site at Jantar Mantar by Delhi Police, triggering criticism from Opposition parties and activists. The action came as Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung Hospital after completing 20 days of his hunger strike, two days before his supporters planned a march towards Parliament. Members of several student groups, including the All India Students Federation (AISF), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), and All India Students’ Association (AISA), joined a demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar.

The protesters raised slogans, displayed placards, and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy. A large number of Delhi Police personnel were deployed at the protest venue as authorities asked protesters to vacate the area. During the police action, student protesters formed a human chain around activists who were continuing their hunger strike, including Neha Bora, a PhD scholar from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), in an attempt to prevent them from being removed.

Organisers claimed that the health condition of three student activists observing an indefinite hunger strike had deteriorated as their protest entered its 21st day. They alleged that Delhi Police officials attempted to detain the fasting activists from the protest site. The protesters said they would continue their agitation until their demands, including Pradhan’s resignation, were addressed. Neha Bora alleged that a group of people in plain clothes entered the stage area around 7 am on Saturday, following which Wangchuk was taken away by police personnel on the grounds of providing medical assistance.

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She further claimed that officers attempted to enter the tent where the three fasting activists were staying but could not detain them due to the presence of a large number of volunteers. The CJP’s founder Abhijeet Dipke announced that he would begin a hunger strike following the police action at Jantar Mantar. He said the move came after Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung Hospital on the 21st day of his hunger strike.

Wangchuk’s protest has focused on demands related to the protection of Ladakh’s environment, statehood, and constitutional safeguards for the region. His planned march to Parliament, scheduled for July 20, was expected to draw supporters from across the country. The police action against Wangchuk and other protesters drew reactions from Opposition leaders, who accused the Centre of suppressing peaceful demonstrations. Meanwhile, authorities maintained that steps were taken to ensure public order and address the health concerns of protesters involved in the prolonged hunger strike.

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