PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti condemned the Indian central government's silence regarding Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike over national exam irregularities.
The situation highlights growing tension between regional leaders and the Centre over academic integrity and the government's perceived indifference to public protests.
Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike for 20 days [1]. He is demanding government action regarding alleged paper leaks and irregularities associated with the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, known as NEET [1]. The protest focuses on the need for transparency, and accountability in the administration of the national examination [1].
Mufti said the government's refusal to respond to the protest reflects a "colonial mindset." She said the Centre is ignoring the plight of a citizen who is fasting to demand basic fairness in the education system [1].
Wangchuk said he will continue his fast until July 20 [1]. He has tied the end of his protest to receiving a formal response from the government [1].
The protest has drawn attention to the vulnerability of national testing systems. While the government has not issued a formal statement on the current fast, the demands for a probe into the NEET irregularities continue to mount as the July 20 deadline approaches [1].
“Mehbooba Mufti said the government's refusal to respond to the protest reflects a "colonial mindset."”
The intersection of Sonam Wangchuk's activism and Mehbooba Mufti's political critique underscores a broader narrative of alienation and distrust toward the central government. By framing the government's silence as a 'colonial mindset,' Mufti is linking current administrative failures in the education sector to historical grievances regarding governance and autonomy in India.
