Delhi police forcibly moved activist Sonam Wangchuk to a hospital on Saturday over health concerns after 20 days of his hunger strike to protest against India’s examination system.
Wangchuk, 59, has been fasting since June 28 to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations to study medicine.
A few hundred students have also joined Wangchuk around his stage at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in recent weeks, with other protests also organised by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) online movement.
“As per the orders of … high court and on expert medical advice due to deteriorating health condition of Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care,” a deputy commissioner of Delhi police said in a statement.
“While complying with the orders … the protestors tried to create obstruction, in which slight commotion ensued,” the statement added.
“We request the protestors at Jantar Mantar to peacefully vacate the place at the earliest.”
A video from Jantar Mantar showed confusion among a few Wangchuk supporters at the site in the morning as police, carrying white sheets, hurriedly moved him from the stage.
Police also moved some CJP supporters who were staging a sit-in at the venue, asking them to vacate the area. Visuals showed one woman protester being physically lifted by policewomen and carried away.
ANI news agency, in which Reuters has a minority stake, said Wangchuk was conscious, and his vitals were stable in the hospital.
“They dragged Sonam Sir away … a 60-year-old man, who had been on a hunger strike for 20 days and hadn’t eaten a thing, was forcibly dragged away by the Delhi Police. We have no idea where they have taken him,” CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke told reporters.
