Delhi police took activist Sonam Wangchuk to a hospital during a protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, July 20, 2024 [1].
The incident underscores escalating tensions between the Indian government and activists demanding political change through the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).
Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike for 20 days [2] as part of a campaign against the Narendra Modi government. The protest escalated during a scheduled march to parliament on July 20, 2024 [3].
Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janata Party, said that Wangchuk was taken away by Delhi police [4]. Dipke also said that he was targeted during the confrontation.
"I was beaten and put under detention by the Delhi Police," Dipke said [5]. Following these events, Dipke launched his own hunger strike.
Jantar Mantar has long served as a focal point for political demonstrations in New Delhi. The CJP's current efforts focus on challenging the existing administration's policies through non-violent resistance and public fasting, methods Wangchuk has used previously to draw attention to regional issues.
“"I was beaten and put under detention by the Delhi Police."”
The forced hospitalization of a high-profile activist and the detention of party leadership suggest a tightening of state control over public demonstrations in New Delhi. By targeting the Cockroach Janata Party's leadership during a scheduled march, authorities are signaling a low tolerance for prolonged hunger strikes and organized protests at Jantar Mantar.
