Ranchi: JMM and Congress extended support to activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a fast for the past 20 days, after he was shifted to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday. The Union govt is attempting to suppress a democratic movement instead of engaging in dialogue, the coalition partners alleged.Criticising the alleged forced hospitalisation of Wangchuk by police, JMM’s Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji said, “The move reflected the Centre’s apprehension over the growing agitation. Wangchuk, along with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members, has been demanding Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak case.”Expressing suspicion that the step “might have been linked to Wangchuk’s proposed July 20 march that would coincide with the opening day of Parliament’s monsoon session”, Maji said, “It is evident that the govt is afraid of the movement. If it truly cared about Wangchuk, it should have agreed to hold talks with him instead of resorting to coercive measures.”Stating that “JMM stood firmly with Wangchuk”, Maji said, “The party wants the govt to hear Wangchuk’s demands and work towards a solution that would allow him to end his fast.”Health minister and Congress member Irfan Ansari said the issue should be viewed from a humanitarian perspective rather than a political one. “It was the govt’s responsibility to listen to Wangchuk, safeguard his health and open channels of dialogue. The strength of democracy lies not in suppressing opposition but in hearing it and finding solutions,” he said.Dumri MLA and JLKM president Jairam Mahto, who emerged politically from student movements in Jharkhand, shared the stage with Wangchuk in Delhi on Thursday. Several activists also staged a sit-in at Bapu Vatika in Morabadi here in solidarity with Wangchuk on Friday.
