Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday strongly criticised the alleged forcible removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk from his indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, accusing the Narendra Modi-led government of suppressing peaceful democratic protests instead of addressing students' concerns over examination reforms.
Kejriwal alleged that Wangchuk was "humiliated due to the Prime Minister's arrogance" and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have engaged in dialogue with the activist instead of allowing police action. He questioned whether India's freedom was meant to witness citizens being mistreated by their own government for raising legitimate concerns.
Claiming that plainclothes police personnel forcibly removed Wangchuk from the protest site, Kejriwal alleged that he was taken to a hospital against his will after attempts were made to end his fast. He further alleged that Wangchuk's supporters were pushed and mishandled during the operation.
Drawing a comparison with Mahatma Gandhi's fasts during the freedom movement, Kejriwal said that even the British government had not treated Gandhi in such a manner. He described the incident as an attack on democratic values and peaceful dissent.
AAP chief said the protesters were demanding reforms in the country's examination system, including measures to prevent paper leaks, improve transparency, and strengthen the education system. Instead of addressing these concerns, he alleged, the government was focused on crushing the youth-led movement.
Referring to the alleged NEET paper leak and what he described as irregularities in the CBSE evaluation system, Kejriwal said thousands of students had suffered due to systemic failures. He noted that Wangchuk and fellow activist Abhijeet Dipke were fasting not for personal reasons but for the future of students across the country.
Calling upon citizens to support the movement, Kejriwal urged people to gather at Jantar Mantar and raise their voices collectively. He warned that unless people stood together against examination irregularities, paper leaks and the resulting hardships faced by students would continue.
Meanwhile, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia also condemned the alleged police action. He said history had witnessed authoritarian rulers and colonial governments using force to suppress dissent, and questioned why "the police of independent India" was allegedly using similar methods to silence young protesters demanding reforms.
