'Shouldn't test Sonam Wangchuk's limits, say yes or no to his demands': Anna Hazare's appeal to Centre

Activist Anna Hazare urged the Union government to engage in talks with Sonam Wangchuk to address the ongoing standoff related to his indefinite hunger strike.

Updated on: Jul 19, 2026, 06:30:17 IST

By HT News Desk

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Social activist Anna Hazare on Saturday urged the Union government to hold talks with educationist Sonam Wangchuk, saying discussions should be held on his demands after he was taken to Safdarjung Hospital by Delhi Police for treatment earlier in the day.

Activist Anna Hazare urges Union government to hold talks with educationist Sonam Wangchuk. (PTI)

"The government should not test his limits. Say yes or no (to his demands), but what is wrong in holding discussions?" Hazare told news agency PTI.

Wangchuk has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak scandal.

Also read | Sonam Wangchuk's wife breaks silence, says no treatment without her consent: ‘Will hold everyone accountable if…’

Saturday (July 18) marks the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

Reference to Hazare's own protest

Hazare's appeal comes years after his own hunger strike in Delhi demanding the Lokpal Act, which rocked the UPA government in 2011.

Wangchuk taken to hospital

While the police said the hospitalisation was undertaken as per a Delhi High Court order on monitoring Wangchuk's health, CJP's Abhijeet Dipke claimed the climate activist was “taken away forcefully”.

Also read | High drama on Day 21 of Wangchuk's strike: Hospitalisation, Dipke's ‘detention’, students' lathicharge claim

Some students also claimed they were lathicharged at the protest site.

Police personnel came in plain clothes, allege protesters

The CJP protesters at Jantar Mantar alleged that the police personnel arrived at the site and claimed to be a medical team. They ordered the volunteers to move aside, a protester was quoted as saying by ANI.

CJP alleges contempt of court

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) chief spokesperson Saurav Das alleged that the Delhi Police had misinterpreted the Delhi High Court's directions while shifting Sonam Wangchuk to hospital and termed his detention a contempt of court.

Also read | Mild dizziness, check-up 'of his own free will': Sonam Wangchuk's medical note surfaces

“The Delhi High Court directed that the health of Sonam Wangchuk should be monitored and any intervention should only take place if his health deteriorates. His health is monitored by our medical team 2-3 times a day and he himself posts videos on a daily basis giving update about his health which has been stable. The Delhi police has misinterpreted that court order and in the guise of that order detained him. The detention is a contempt of court’s order,” Das said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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