Congress leader Pawan Khera met activist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar on Friday, July 12, to urge him to end his hunger strike [1], [2].
The meeting highlights growing political pressure on the administration to address grievances regarding examination irregularities and the demands for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan [1], [2].
Wangchuk, a member of the Cockroach Janta Party, has been protesting to demand accountability and systemic changes within the education sector [1], [2]. During the encounter, Khera said that the right to protest is a constitutional right and that the government must listen to citizens rather than looking away [1].
Khera referenced historical precedents of government engagement to criticize current indifference. He said that former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and Indira Gandhi engaged with protesters in the past to resolve disputes [1].
By extending support to Wangchuk, the Congress leader emphasized that democratic stability relies on the government's willingness to acknowledge and address public dissent [3]. The meeting occurred amid ongoing tensions at the New Delhi protest site, where Wangchuk has sought the resignation of the education minister [1], [2].
Khera's visit served as both a plea for Wangchuk to prioritize his health by ending the fast and a public demand for the administration to initiate a dialogue with the activist [2].
“Protest is a constitutional right”
The alignment between a major opposition leader and an independent activist like Wangchuk signals a broadening coalition of dissent centered on educational governance. By framing the hunger strike as a constitutional right and citing historical precedents, the opposition is attempting to shift the narrative from a localized protest to a broader critique of the current administration's approach to democratic engagement.
