Scientist and activist Sonam Wangchuk said he did not support use of abusive language against political leaders, referring to videos of such language being used during the student protest at Jantar Mantar, but added that it was on the political leaders to understand what drove students to the point of such frustration.
"I do not approve abusive language at all. But for the government, it's more a signal of how frustrated our youth have become," he said while speaking to India Today.
He added that if he had been in place of the Prime Minister, he would question himself first and not take actions against students. "If I was in the place of the Prime Minister, I would first tell myself how bad I've been to invoke so much anger in them," Wangchuk said.
Also read: Listening to youth is ‘most powerful force’ to prevent protest violence: Supreme Court
"Take the message, don't kill the messenger," he added.
{{/usCountry}}"Take the message, don't kill the messenger," he added.
{{/usCountry}}A zero FIR was filed against a 15-year-old girl over her abusive remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the CJP protest, which was later withdrawn by he complainant saying that the teenager had apologised and the PM had forgiven her.
Sonam Wangchuk, who is now in Ladakh recovering after ending his 26-day hunger strike to support students during the Jantar Mantar protest, said that he has recovered 6kgs of the 11kgs of the weight he had lost.
‘Not a protest mascot’
While speaking on the students protests going on in Jharkhand over alleged exam irregularities, Wangchuk told India Today that he did not wish to be the face of every student protest but will continue supporting genuine movements. He said that ‘education’ and ‘environment’ were two subjects very close to him.
"I just want everybody to be their own heroes in their own places," he said when asked if he planned on travelling to Jharkhand to join the students protesting there.
Also read: 'Don't need to apologise to anyone': Rahul Gandhi comes out in support of student protesters
"Education and environment are two subjects very close to my heart... I would like to support any place that is raising a just voice for these two subjects," Wangchuk said, adding that it was sign of a healthy democracy that people were raising their voices.
On Wednesday, Wangchuk spoke to student leader and Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JKLM) leader Devendra Nath Mahato, who is on a hunger strike in Ranchi, and adviced him to drink water.
Mahato clarified that he has not ended his hunger strike but has started to drink water on Wangchuk's advice.
Also read: Jantar Mantar protest: Rahul Gandhi defends students, blames Shah for violence on students
The students in Jharkhand are demanding resignation of chief minister Hemant Soren over alleged exam irregularities. Soren, on Wednesday, offered talks with students to resolve the issue, saying that paper leaks was a nationwide issue.
CJP to travel to Jharkhand to support students
Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke said on Wednesday that the satirical political outfit would travel to Jharkhand to support the ongoing students’ protest and added that Sonam Wangchuk would continue to serve as their mentor.
Dipke said that CJP will function as a “pressure group”, a decision backed by Wangchuk as well.
The remarks came as the CJP began its two-day core committee meeting on Wednesday to chalk out its future strategy, organisational expansion and the key public issues it plans to take up in the coming months.
The first day of the conclave took place at Dipke’s residence in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.