Students protest: From Ladakh to London, Mumbai to Hyderbad, stir spreads

Ladakh stepped out. London rallied. Indore mobilised. Dehradun marched. Hyderabad joined. Mumbai dug in. Protesters rallied across geographies Tuesday, drawing students behind activist Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike for education reforms.For the first time since Wangchuk began his fast in solidarity with Cockroach Janta Party’s agitation, scores of students marched through Kargil carrying banners reading “Save merit, Save students, Save the Nation” and “We Stand With Sonam Wangchuk”, while a candlelit march lit up Leh’s main market.Arif Ali, president of Ladakh Students Union of Kargil, called the protest peaceful and democratic.The slogans travelled. Solidarity protests reached UK, where demonstrations were held in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, and outside Indian high commission in London. Organised by SFI-UK, the rallies drew thousands of Indian students and left-wing groups, who demanded “accountable, fair and transparent education” and backed students’ right to protest peacefully.Around 900 people, mostly students aged 20 to 24, have been charged in eight FIRs filed in Mumbai in connection with CJP’s protests over the past three days. Protesters said they received police notices on WhatsApp Tuesday. The demonstrations, which gained momentum over the weekend, continued with placards and slogans.In Indore, over 1,000 students, joined by teachers, parents and citizens, gathered near Tantya Bhil statue in support of protesters in Delhi. “What started with just a handful of students has now become a movement for every aspirant who wants a fair exam system,” Sakshi Baheria said after bringing food for protesters.Hundreds took to the streets in Dehradun, marching and demanding Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and early resolution of pending recruitment exams and results in Uttarakhand. Police stopped them near Secretariat, leading to clashes.Police detained nine protesters in Vadodara for demonstrating without permission. In Hyderabad, police detained several protesters linked to All India Students Federation during a march against police action on CJP supporters in Delhi.(Inputs from Dehradun, Indore, Mumbai & agencies)