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CJP alleges Delhi Police cut water, sanitation facilities at Jantar Mantar amid Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike
Sonam Wangchuk began his indefinite fast on Sunday at Jantar Mantar, where the CJP has been staging a sit-in since June 20.
The Delhi Police cut water and sanitation facilities at Jantar Mantar shortly after activist Sonam Wangchuk began his indefinite hunger strike in support of students protesting irregularities in competitive exams, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has alleged.
Founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday claimed that basic facilities at the protest site had been cut off despite repeated requests to the authorities.
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"Delhi Police has cut off sanitation facility at Jantar Mantar after Sonam Wangchuk announced his hunger strike. No water connection and hygiene measures," Dipke wrote on X.
“Despite repeated pleas and telling them about Wangchuk ji’s age and health concerns, the Police is not cooperating and we suspect that other such basic facilities too will be cut off. What is the police upto?”
Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike
Wangchuk began his indefinite fast on Sunday at Jantar Mantar, where the CJP has been staging a sit-in since June 20. They demand the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities in competitive examinations, including the NEET paper leak issue.
Over 21 students have allegedly died by suicide due to the controversy and the re-examination. The CJP has a shrine at Jantar Mantar in their honour.
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Why Sonam Wangchuk is on a hunger strike
Wangchuk announced earlier this week that he would begin an indefinite hunger strike from June 28 if the government failed to make progress on at least one of two issues - accountability in the education system and greater autonomy and environmental safeguards for Ladakh.
He said he would withdraw the fast if action was taken on either demand, but proceeded with the indefinite hunger strike after the government didn't pay heed to his demands.
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Before the hunger strike, Wangchuk and Dipke visited Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. The protest began with a two-minute silence and was attended by hundreds of students, young people, farmer leaders and citizens.
Farmers arrested?
Earlier in the day, Dipke also alleged that several farmer leaders from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab had been placed under house arrest to prevent them from joining the demonstration in Delhi. HT could not independently verify the claim.
The CJP has maintained that its protest was aimed to show deeper concerns over transparency, accountability and public trust in the country's examination system.
On Saturday, Dipke linked the protest to the recent Maharashtra Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) paper leak. He said that repeated examination controversies demonstrated systemic failures in conducting competitive examinations.
The Maharashtra government had postponed the TET a day before it was scheduled after parts of the question paper were allegedly leaked, leading to the arrest of three persons.
The party has also launched a "Pradhan Go Back" campaign, asking students, parents, teachers and social organisations to join its demand for accountability in the education sector.
