Sonam Wangchuk when he broke his hunger strike
NEW DELHI: Government is keeping its fingers crossed after its successful attempt to persuade activist Sonam Wangchuk – whose wide recognition helped expand the reach of Cockroach Janta Party’s protest into uncomfortable territory for BJP – to break his hunger strike.CJP’s assertion, though, to continue and even escalate the agitation if its demand for education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation is not met has muddied the waters, but govt feels the successful engagement with the Ladakh activist coupled with measures taken by it will help counter the allegation that govt has not been sensitive to students’ concerns and resonate with those not affiliated with AAP, the Left and other opponents and their student outfits.The breakthrough with Wangchuk became possible because of deft footwork, including behind-the-scenes moves by home minister Amit Shah, that saw ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh overcoming the activist and bringing in local netas of Ladakh. Wangchuk’s fears about violence and the risk of protests being overtaken – something that he articulated in the video-graphed conversation with the ministers – were helpful.Official circles are hopeful that Wangchuk’s appeal for peaceful protests and against any form of violence, besides govt’s positive response to his demand for not registering criminal cases against peaceful protestors and suitable compensation to families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide, will have a positive impact and may also help isolate “genuine” students from activists motivated by a dizzying array of motives – from partisan political considerations and gender fluidity to angst over Brahmanical patriarchy and Manuvad and Hindutva dominance. Unlike Abhijeet Dipke-led CJP, Wangchuk has not insisted on Pradhan’s resignation. Considering it as the hook that connected that segment of youth with the protest who are not overtly political and might have been even otherwise sympathetic to some of the causes of the party, Wangchuk nuancing his pitch for accountability for paper leaks and expanding it beyond the individual to the ministry should help a govt pitted against a determined and competitive push for the minister’s scalp.PM Modi was quick on X to wish the Ladakh activist – who was detained under NSA last year for his alleged role in violent protest in the UT – and that he regains the weight he lost in the fast. CJP could not have been pleased with the turn of events, but it was careful not to express its annoyance. Dipke lauded Wangchuk’s “extraordinary courage” but left no doubt that he would carry on with his protest until Pradhan was sacked.The rift was evident after Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo wrote on X, “Before you rush to criticise Wangchuk, first pause to earn the ethos of fasting for 26 days for a cause larger than yourself. He lies in the ICU today, having lost 11 kg, including muscle mass, because he chose sacrifice over comfort… The least we can offer him is a day of compassion before burdening him with our own expectations and political calculations. Not everyone is qualified to judge a life of selfless service. One must first earn the moral stature to do so. Please. Have a heart.”Also read: CJP-Centre 3rd round of talks today; PM Modi, Wangchuk release late night video – top developmentsBJP’s Amit Malviya was quick to take a jibe at Dipke, saying there is now little justification for “his gang” to continue the protest and alleged their objective no longer appears to address students’ concerns but to manufacture a political victory by insisting on Pradhan’s resignation. It was Wangchuk’s forcible removal, although with court authorisation from the protest site on July 18 that imparted the first real burst of agitational energy into the campaign, before the protestors’ march to Parliament and police’s alleged heavy-handedness turned it into a national headline.Since he broke his 26-day fast by accepting soup from health minister Nadda and without the presence of any CJP representative, telltale signs of the organisation’s drift from its star draw have emerged. While doubts persist in govt circles over CJP’s motives and its insistence on Pradhan’s resignation remains a hurdle, govt will not like to give an impression of sacrificing its key figure to street protests but believes that continuing negotiations with the organisation is an enterprise worth its pursuit. Accused of being tone-deaf over the issue of paper leaks and even insensitive to the growing concerns of candidates of competitive exams, govt believes its engagement with and even concessions to CJP’s demands, except Pradhan’s ouster, will negate the perception.Dipke’s own background with AAP and active support he had received from Left organisations mean that a chunk of agitators is unlikely to back down till govt fully concedes. But govt is keen to bridge its gap with a large chunk of apolitical protestors, who have connected with the concerns being espoused by CJP. Modi has taken the lead by announcing fast-track courts to pursue paper leak cases and a bill to make punishment for the guilty stiffer. Termination of 47 officials of NTA, which holds exams like NEET and JEE, and expected reform measures in education are part of that push. Go to Source
