'Direct democracy, straight from streets': Sonam Wangchuk hails Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Direct democracy, straight from streets': Sonam Wangchuk hails Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation")
Environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk shows victory sign after resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in New Delhi on Saturday. Photograph: (ANI)
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk welcomed Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, congratulated the CJP and Gen Z, and called for greater accountability and reforms.
Following Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who became the face of the protests after a 26-day hunger strike, hailed the development as a "victory of democracy".
Wangchuk congratulated the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which spearheaded the movement, as well as the country's Gen Z.
In a post on X, Wangchuk described Pradhan's resignation as "direct democracy, straight from the streets" and a victory of "peace, patience and perseverance".
"Congratulations, CJP, Gen Z of the nation, and thank you to all citizens for shedding fear and the fear of fear and rising up from every corner of the nation.
"From accountability, now to reforms," he wrote on X.
Gitanjali J Angmo, Wangchuk's wife, also hailed Gen Z following Pradhan's resignation.
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"If anyone has shown what it means for India to be a Vishwaguru, it is our Gen Z. They have lived Sanatan Dharma, not preached it. Courage without hate. Strength without violence. Patriotism without blind obedience," she said.
However, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced the victory from the protest stage at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Saturday, just minutes after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation. Dipke did not mention activist Sonam Wangchuk while addressing the protesters.
Wangchuk began his hunger strike on June 28 in support of the CJP's protest at Jantar Mantar. He ended the 26-day hunger strike on July 24 in the presence of Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh after the government agreed to three of his demands — no legal action against peaceful protesters, a parliamentary discussion on the examination system and compensation for families of suicide victims.
His decision to end the hunger strike in the presence of Union ministers drew criticism from some who accused him of compromising with the government and weakening the movement.
Wangchuk responded to the allegations in a video message on Friday, hitting back at critics who questioned his decision to end his 26-day hunger strike in support of students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak.
In the video message shared on social media, Wangchuk questioned why his commitment to the cause required a "character certificate".
"After 26 days of fasting for the sake of students, losing 11 kilograms of body weight in which I have also lost muscle mass and my organs and brain reached the verge of irreversible damage, and doing all this in the scorching heat of Delhi after coming from the bitter cold of Ladakh, do I have to seek a character certificate from anyone about how sacred my fast was, about whose hands I broke it at, or whether I made a deal or not?... Shame on a country that produces such minds, from which such vile thoughts spring. I don't blame anyone because most of you lack knowledge of what circumstances I have been through, what my family has been through in the past week or two," he said in the video.
