Congress MP Pawan Khera meets Sonam Wangchuk, backs protest
3 min learnNew DelhiJul 17, 2026 11:30 AM IST
A day after the Congress broke its silence on activist Sonam Wangchuk’s starvation strike demanding Union Training Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, get together MP and senior chief Pawan Khera visited Wangchuk on Friday and accused the “insensitive” central authorities of not understanding the language of democratic protest.
Wangchuk has been on a starvation strike since June 28 as a part of a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Occasion, demanding wider reforms within the nation’s examination system and Pradhan’s resignation over repeated examination paper leaks.
“As you noticed yesterday, our get together basic secretary, Okay C Venugopal, additionally posted on X. We’re all involved about Sonam Wangchuk’s well being, and there’s a very insensitive authorities in energy that doesn’t perceive the language of democratic protest. Within the face of such a authorities, the strategy of protest ought to maintain evolving. We’re involved about his well being and in addition in regards to the college students sitting with him. By placing your lives in danger, you won’t be able to realize something from this authorities,” Khera stated at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
The transfer to have interaction with Wangchuk got here a day after Congress Parliamentary Occasion chairperson Sonia Gandhi directed the management to take action.
A number of Opposition events, together with the Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Occasion, and Shiv Sena (UBT), have prolonged help to Wangchuk, demanding that the Centre have interaction with him and sack Pradhan.
Sonia recollects Indira’s intervention
In line with sources, Sonia Gandhi wished the Congress to again Wangchuk despite the fact that a piece of get together leaders was sceptical about becoming a member of the activist or the Cockroach Janta Occasion on the problem.
Gandhi’s recommendation got here throughout a Congress parliamentary get together assembly forward of the Monsoon Session. Occasion insiders stated she identified that in 1984, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had flown to Leh to satisfy Wangchuk’s father, Sonam Wangyal, who was on a starvation strike looking for Scheduled Tribe standing for Ladakhis. Indira had persuaded Wangyal to finish the starvation strike.
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Quickly after the assembly, Venugopal posted on X: “His (Wangchuk) considerations are our considerations and that of different Opposition events as properly. Relaxation assured, we’ll proceed to confront the Modi authorities and demand the Training Minister’s resignation.”
In an interview with The Indian Specific on Tuesday, Wangchuk had stated that resignation or accountability was simply a place to begin. “The door should then open to find out the appropriate plan of action. This challenge have to be debated throughout the Monsoon Session of Parliament. And to formulate these broader reforms, the federal government ought to rope in these younger folks or educationists like me,” he had stated.
