Fight for the Right ✊

Today marks the 19th day of Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike. The reports regarding his health and the visuals on television are certainly alarming. It is deeply distressing to say this, but it appears the government has decided to sacrifice Sonam Wangchuk, and by extension, the very space for protest in this country. After all, if this government can remain a silent spectator while the treasury of Lord Ram is being looted, what impact could a citizens' protest possibly have? Institutions that ought to function impartially have been co-opted, and elections are being manipulated to suit specific agendas. Exorbitant amounts of money are being spent on this, yet the mainstream media largely fails to question the source of these funds. Instead, they are busy discrediting both the opposition and even dissenters within the ruling party, acting on the instructions of their ‘invisible bosses’. And those in the media who speak out, operate under the constant threat of retribution. Consequently, the government finds it all too easy to crush a protest raised for a worthy cause and to inflict physical suffering upon the protester. There was a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held Sonam Wangchuk in high regard. BJP always cherishes an individual only as long as it serves their convenience. In 2018, Wangchuk was invited to the 'Re-Invest' conference, where the party praised him after listening to his insights on non-conventional energy. Naturally, because the party wanted to showcase its commitment to non-conventional energy. Later, when Ladakh was declared a separate territory, Wangchuk initially appreciated the BJP's move. However, he eventually realized that their intentions were far from honest. Wangchuk demanded separate statehood for Ladakh, two Lok Sabha constituencies for the region, and the protection of local people's land rights; he undertook hunger strikes and protests to this end, yet the government took no action. They offered assurances but failed to follow through. The reason is that stated intentions rarely align with actual motives. Today, Wangchuk’s demand is simply this: address the chaos surrounding the NEET exam, dismiss the minister responsible for it, and ensure transparency in these examinations. There is nothing amiss in this demand. During the BJP's tenure, irregularities in examinations have been rampant, ranging from the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh and the leaking of NEET papers to the recent leaks of teacher recruitment exam papers. The answer to why this happens under their watch, and why they behave with such callous indifference afterward, is simple: it stems from the unbridled power that comes with controlling all the machinery of the state. The BJP portrays election victories, often secured through various machinations, as a sign of the people's tacit approval, while simultaneously resenting any questioning. I say ‘BJP’, as their alliance partners lack any independent identity and are effectively controlled from Delhi.