Sonam Wangchuk at the protest site
By Tehelka Web Desk
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday urged the Centre to engage with Ladakh-based activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 19 days, saying the government should respond with “humanity and compassion” instead of remaining silent as his health worsens.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Omar said Wangchuk’s deteriorating health was a matter of concern after nearly three weeks of fasting.
“The surprising thing is that it has been 18 days, perhaps the 19th day is going on. He has lost about 9 kilograms, and it is affecting his health. But the government is not budging or even appealing to him in any way to stop his hunger strike. Politics has its place, but somewhere there should also be a place for humanity and compassion,” he said.
The chief minister said Wangchuk’s principal demand was the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
“The Education Minister should either resign or be removed from his post,” he said.
Drawing a comparison with Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement during the UPA government, Omar said the then prime minister, Manmohan Singh, had deputed ministers to persuade the protesters to end their fast and resume dialogue.
“But no attempt has been made yet to talk to Wangchuk. We don’t know what the government’s attitude will be in the coming days, but we are definitely concerned about Wangchuk’s health,” he said.
Omar said that if his family had not been mourning the death of his uncle and senior National Conference leader Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, someone from the party would have travelled to Delhi to express solidarity with Wangchuk.
“If we weren’t involved in our own grief here, perhaps one of us would have gone there and expressed our support for him. But he is not on a hunger strike to listen to what we say. He needs an assurance from the government,” he said.
Backing the ongoing agitation over the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, Omar said the protesters were raising a legitimate issue.
“Many people have gone there. When they are demanding justice in connection with the NEET exam, we too feel their demand is not wrong; the demand is right. But I do not know why this government doesn’t even pay attention to these things,” he said.
Wangchuk joined the protest over the alleged NEET examination irregularities on June 28 and has remained on an indefinite hunger strike since then.
