Activist Sonam Wangchuk said he was disappointed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi did not respond positively to efforts made by his wife, Gitanjali, to have him formally end Wangchuk’s 26-day hunger strike
at Jantar Mantar.
Speaking to India Today, Wangchuk said his wife had been trying to arrange for Rahul Gandhi to offer him juice and help conclude the fast. “We were pondering on breaking my fast through Rahul Gandhi ji and Gitanjali was working on that,” Wangchuk said. “She was working hard to see if Rahul ji could break my fast. She didn’t get a positive response”.
Wangchuk also expressed disappointment with political leaders across parties, alleging that Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh failed to honour a commitment related to the conclusion of his fast.
‘Lost Trust In All Leaders’
According to him, the ministers had agreed not to release photographs of them offering him soup until he could publicly announce the end of the hunger strike alongside opposition leaders and student representatives.
“They pledged they won’t release it and they broke the promise. So I have lost trust in all these leaders,” he said.
Referring to criticism made by his wife against Rahul Gandhi, Wangchuk said her remarks were influenced in part by his own sense of disappointment. He noted that political leaders had shown limited engagement with the protest at Jantar Mantar.
“Similarly, as I said, at Jantar Mantar very few and very late came, so this disappointment caught on her when she made a single comment about them,” he added.
‘Being Apolitical Gives Voice To The Voiceless’
Gitanjali later faced online criticism after questioning Rahul Gandhi’s decision to hold a protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence. Wangchuk claimed that while she had also made strong remarks against the BJP and Hindutva groups, those comments did not trigger a similar response.
“There were four or five very harsh comments about the BJP. They didn’t react, but the (Congress) ecosystem started trolling her, trolling me,” he said. “I am disappointed with the leadership. They shouldn’t be so narrow in their approach.”
Despite his criticism of political leaders, Wangchuk voiced support for CJP, the organisation whose agitation against examination irregularities he joined at Jantar Mantar. He said he had examined the group’s work and found its members committed to a just cause without being aligned to any political party.
He also endorsed CJP’s decision to remain outside electoral politics.
“Being apolitical, it gives voice to the voiceless,” he said, adding that this had been his advice to the organisation’s leadership.
Wangchuk had joined the CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar in support of students demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities and reforms in the recruitment and education system. His 26-day hunger strike drew attention to the protesters’ demands and brought together student groups, activists and civil society organisations. While the fast ended, both Wangchuk and CJP have said they will continue to press for reforms through peaceful and democratic means.
