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    EYE ON INDIA                                                              JULY 24, 2026    |  The Indian Eye                    8

            NEET Row Fuels Opposition Unity

                      as Wangchuk’s Hunger Strike

                           Gains Political Momentum

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                                Support for Wangchuk extended
                                                                                                                  beyond the AAP.  Samajwadi Party
            New Delhi
                                                                                                                  MP Dimple Yadav visited the protest
                  limate activist and education                                                                   site and appealed to the government
                  reformer Sonam Wangchuk’s                                                                       to engage in dialogue with the activ-
            Cindefinite  hunger  strike  de-                                                                      ist, saying compassion should guide
            manding accountability over the                                                                       the response to the ongoing agitation.
            NEET-UG paper leak has emerged                                                                        “We would like to tell the Govern-
            as a rallying point for opposition par-                                                               ment to show a little sensitivity and
            ties, with leaders across the political                                                               initiate a dialogue,” she said, adding
            spectrum joining him at Delhi’s Jantar                                                                that compassion was central to Sana-
            Mantar even as the Delhi High Court                                                                   tan Dharma.
            directed authorities to monitor his                                                                       Samajwadi Party MP Ruchi
            health on a daily basis.                                                                              Veera also accused the government of
                The High Court, while express-                                                                    remaining indifferent despite Wangc-
            ing concern over Wangchuk’s dete-                                                                     huk’s prolonged fast, while Shiv Sena
            riorating condition after more than                                                                   (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray al-
            two weeks of fasting, observed that                                                                   leged that the Centre was ignoring the
            “the life of every citizen is precious                                                                concerns of India’s youth. Thackeray
            and all efforts ought to be made by                                                                   said Education Minister Dharmendra
            the government authorities to save                                                                    Pradhan should be held accountable
            the same.” The court directed govern-                                                                 for the NEET paper leak and ques-
            ment doctors to conduct daily clini-                                                                  tioned why he continued in office af-
            cal monitoring of Wangchuk’s health                                                                   ter such a major controversy. Farmer
            and provide any medical intervention                                                                  leader Rakesh Tikait also joined the
            deemed necessary.                                                                                     protest to express solidarity with the
                A Division Bench comprising                                                                       demonstrators.
            Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upa-                                                                         The Congress also backed Wang-
            dhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued                                                                 chuk’s demands. Congress General
            the directions while disposing of a Pub-  SP MP Dimple Yadav meets environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk during    Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venu-
            lic Interest Litigation seeking interven-                                                             gopal said the party had been de-
            tion over Wangchuk’s health. Solicitor   his indefinite hunger strike and Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar in   manding Pradhan’s resignation for
            General Tushar Mehta informed the                New Delhi on Thursday (ANI Photo/Naveen Sharma)      several weeks and shared Wangchuk’s
            court that Wangchuk was already be-                                                                   concerns over accountability in the ed-
            ing examined daily by government   government of ignoring the concerns  Minister Narendra Modi appoint   ucation system.
            doctors and assured the Bench that   of students and failing to safeguard the  Wangchuk as Union Education Min-  The appeal to end the fast also
            an additional medical team could   integrity of India’s examination system.  ister, arguing that the activist’s record   came from the legal fraternity. The
            be deployed if required. Recording    Addressing protesters at Jantar  as an education reformer made him   Executive Committee of the Supreme
            the assurance, the court ordered that   Mantar, Kejriwal alleged that repeat-  better suited to overhaul the country’s   Court Bar Association adopted a
            regular monitoring should continue   ed examination paper leaks and flaws  education system. At the same time,   resolution expressing concern over
            throughout the hunger strike.     in the evaluation process had eroded  he expressed doubt that such a move   Wangchuk’s health and urging him to
                Wangchuk, an engineer, educa-  the confidence of millions of students.  would happen, claiming the Prime   discontinue the hunger strike.
            tion reformer and climate activist from   Referring  to  the  NEET  controversy,  Minister would be reluctant to appoint   The Bar body said Wangchuk’s
            Ladakh, has been on an indefinite fast   he claimed the government had failed  someone capable of introducing “rev-  movement had drawn national atten-
            at Jantar Mantar to demand the res-  to provide assurances that such inci-  olutionary steps.”        tion to issues concerning NEET and
            ignation of Union Education Minister   dents would not recur.           Drawing parallels with Anna   broader challenges in India’s educa-
            Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged       “Exam papers are being leaked  Hazare’s anti-corruption movement   tion system, while highlighting the
            irregularities in national competitive   constantly, day after day. There are  in  2011,  Kejriwal  warned  that  ignor-  need for greater transparency, fairness
            examinations, including the high-pro-  irregularities in the papers and flaws  ing the demands of students could   and institutional accountability. It ob-
            file  NEET  paper  leak  controversy.  in the evaluation process,” Kejriwal  have political consequences in the   served that the country needed Wang-
                As the protest entered its nine-  said. “When the NEET paper leaked,  2029 general elections. “I want to tell   chuk’s continued leadership rather
            teenth day, Aam Aadmi Party nation-  20 students committed suicide, yet the  the government: either listen to the   than  risking his  life  and  resolved  to
            al convener and former Delhi Chief   government took no measures to as-  voice of the youth, or these very young   extend legal and research assistance
            Minister  Arvind  Kejriwal  intensified   sure anyone that leaks wouldn’t recur.”  people will throw you out of power in   to initiatives promoting reforms in ed-
            his attack on the Centre, accusing the   Kejriwal also proposed that Prime  2029,” he said.           ucational governance.

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