Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Monday said the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan marked only the beginning of the reform process, stressing that real change would come only when accountability is fixed and systemic issues are addressed.
Speaking at Rajghat after ending his 26-day indefinite hunger strike and being discharged from Medanta hospital, Wangchuk said he wanted to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi first and reaffirm the relevance of his philosophy of non-violent protest.
“I want to thank all of you. After ending my 26-day fast and this movement, I first wanted to come to Rajghat to remember and thank Bapu. I wanted to tell the country that the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago,” he said.
Rejecting the belief that peaceful protests cannot influence those in power, Wangchuk said the movement had once again demonstrated the strength of Gandhian methods.
“People say such protests do not work against such rulers and that they do not listen to the people. Whether they listen to me or not, I have once again seen Gandhi’s experiment succeed. I did not know how relevant it was at the national level, but now I have seen that it is,” he said.
#WATCH | Delhi | After offering tributes at Rajghat, Activist Sonam Wangchuk says, “Following the conclusion of this 26-day fast and movement, I wanted to come to Rajghat first to remember Mahatma Gandhi, to express my gratitude to him and to tell the country that the path he… https://t.co/KN1TF4QtBQ pic.twitter.com/gpICq3WuML
— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2026
‘Youth Conducted This Movement In Peaceful Manner’
He said the movement succeeded not because of violence but because of the sacrifices made by protesters.
“The youth conducted this movement in a completely peaceful manner. Whatever has been achieved did not happen because of lathis or stones. It happened because of the suffering we endured. I wanted everyone to remain peaceful,” Wangchuk said.
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Calling on people across the world to embrace non-violence, he added, “If you bear the suffering yourself instead of inflicting it on others, even the toughest rulers can be moved.”
‘Pradhan’s Resignation Is Just Beginning’
Referring to Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, Wangchuk said it should not be seen as the end of the movement.
“The resignation is only the beginning. Now the treatment must follow the diagnosis. Discussions are underway, and after positive deliberations, whatever is appropriate should be adopted,” he said.
Wangchuk also underlined the need for accountability whenever citizens raise legitimate questions.
“Wherever people raise questions, accountability must be fixed,” he said.
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Avoiding political confrontation at Rajghat, Wangchuk said he did not wish to enter into controversies at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial.
Wangchuk Joined Protest On June 28
Activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the students’ protest on June 28 and remained on an indefinite hunger strike for 26 days in support of their demands.
On July 18, he was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital. Speaking there, Wangchuk said he felt as though he was being kept in custody. Following an order by the Delhi High Court, he was later transferred to Medanta Hospital.
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The student-led protest, spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), continued for 36 days, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged paper leak controversy.
The agitation ended after Pradhan stepped down from the post. Following his resignation, Pralhad Joshi was given charge of the Education Ministry.
