Dipke’s family, Opposition, activists condemn Wangchuk’s shift to hospital

6 min readPuneUpdated: Jul 18, 2026 10:42 PM IST

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke (far left). protestors at Jantar Mantar Saturday. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Moments after activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a fast since June 28, was shifted to a Delhi hospital early Saturday morning, political leaders and activists have strongly condemned the government, accusing it of ignoring the demands of the students.

Speaking to repoters in Nagpur, Siv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, described the police action against Wangchuk as sheer authoritarianism and a ploy to divert attention from the Ram Raksha protest in Maharashtra.

“This reflects the Modi Government’s dictatorial attitude. The government failed to resolve the core issues for which Sonam Wangchuk was fasting for 21 days and then when it found things difficult to handle, it forcibly moved Wangchuk to the hospital,” Raut said.

All this was done, claimed Raut, to deliberately divert attention away from the Shiv Sena’s “Ram Raksha” protest scheduled in Nagpur on Saturday to protest against the alleged corruption and looting involving the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

“What the government did by picking up Sonam Wangchuk is wrong. I only want to tell the government to listen to the children,” said Anita, Cockroach Janta party founder Abhijeet Dipke’s mother.

His father, Bhagwanrao Dipke, said, “They were protesting through democratic means. There was no violence there. The people were on their side. The government did not need to pick up Sonam Wangchuk so suddenly. The government should have sent representatives to talk to him. This is dictatorship, right? Wangchuk is a great scientist. He sat on a hunger strike thinking about the country. He supported students’ education. The government thought that by picking up Wangchuk, this protest would end. The government wants to crush this protest.”

“The government refused to act on (Wangchuk’s) demands. Instead the government forcibly took him to the hospital. This is an example of how the government was dragging the country onto the authoritarian path.”

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“His strike demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, but the government refused to act and remain absolutely silent. Instead, Wangchuk — who was ready to sacrifice his life for the future of millions of students in India — was forcibly picked up by police and hospitalised. This shows the authoritarian path this country is being dragged onto,” he noted.

BJP leader Chitra Wagholi said, “Now that Sonam Wangchuk has been arrested, Raut’s usual sobbing has begun.

He claims that the arrest happened only because the UBT faction’s protest was underway in Nagpur. What kind of nonsense is this? He cannot even recite four lines of the Ram Raksha (prayer) properly himself, but politics in the name of protest is in full swing. Most likely, these baseless allegations have started out of the fear that he might actually be asked to recite the Ram Raksha. The Ram Raksha does not come easily to a tongue practiced in useless taunting… and that is precisely why this new drama to distract from the truth has begun.”

Activist Vishwambar Choudhari said, “Sonam Wangchuk has been forcibly removed from his protest site using police force. It has been proven many times that the dictators in power are cowards, but today’s action breaks all records of their cowardice. This stems from the fear that if something were to happen to Sonam Wangchuk, the entire country would turn against them and exile them. Dictators are cowards. Their cowardice is such that they are not even worthy of being protested against. This is a great victory for Sonam Wangchuk. If it takes 500-700 policemen to handle one man exhausted by a twenty-day fast, it proves that the “56-inch chest” does not have the strength of character, but is just filled with empty air.”

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“The rulers have proved themselves to be most cowardly rulers in India’s history Their brainless followers should celebrate this record by beating drums. The cowardly manner in which BJP tried to suppress a movement running through democratic means is being condemned not just in India, but at an international level. The machinery called “government” has descended not just into insensitivity, but to the level of shamelessness. It is once again proven that a brute majority is dangerous for democracy,” Choudhari said.

Farmer leader Ravikant Tupkar said, “This is a dangerous attempt to throttle democracy and lead the country toward dictatorship. Forcibly removing and arresting Sonam Wangchuk, is not just an action against one individual; it is an attack on the constitutional right to protest and freedom of expression. If you ask the government a question, you get arrested; if you protest, there is suppression; if you oppose, they try to silence your voice — these are not signs of democracy, but steps toward dictatorship. One might be able to maintain the arrogance of power by throttling democracy, but the voice of the people can never be suppressed. The voice of Sonam Wangchuk is not just the voice of one individual, but the voice of every Indian standing against injustice. Struggle does not end through pressure… it intensifies.”

“These are government-sponsored goons who have arrived wearing white sheets to cover up their dark deeds. The cowardly manner in which the BJP has tried to suppress a movement being conducted through democratic means today is being condemned not only in India but also on the international stage. The machinery known as the government has descended not just into insensitivity, but to the level of shamelessness. A brute majority is dangerous for democracy. This is being proven once again..,” said Sena-UBT leader Sushma Andhare, who had met Wangchuk on Friday.

Actress Shweta Tiwari in a social media post said, “Sonam Wangchuk is fighting for a real cause. This fight is for students’ education and their future. I feel the government should listen to him seriously and pay attention to his demands. I do not agree with the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ (CJP) at all. I feel that the Cockroach Janata Party is using Sonam Wangchuk for its own political agenda. I do not support this. I only support Sonam Wangchuk and his objectives.”

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Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis.

Professional Legacy

Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles.

Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change.

Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities.

Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees.

Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)

Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area:

1. Political Shifts & Alliances

"Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala.

"BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls.

"Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections.

"NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections.

2. Civic & Administrative Accountability

"PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions.

"93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads.

3. Social & Labor Issues

"As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra.

"Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse.

Signature Beat

Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport.

X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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Tags:

Cockroach Janta Party

Jantar Mantar protest

Sonam Wangchuk