Omar Abdullah questions Modi govt’s silence over Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed concern over the deteriorating health of Ladakhi climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, criticizing the BJP-led Indian government for not initiating dialogue with him despite his 19-day hunger strike over examination irregularities.
According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah said Wangchuk has lost around nine kilograms since beginning his indefinite fast in Delhi and questioned why the Modi government had made no apparent effort to persuade him to end his protest.
“It has been 19 days since he began his hunger strike. He has lost around nine kilograms, and it is affecting his health. Politics has its place, but there should also be humanity and compassion. Surprisingly, the government has not even tried to persuade him to end the fast,” Omar Abdullah said.
Drawing a comparison with Indian social activist Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption hunger strike at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, Omar Abdullah said the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had deputed senior ministers to hold talks with Hazare and persuade him to end his fast. He said no such initiative had been taken in Wangchuk’s case.
Omar Abdullah maintained that Wangchuk’s demand for accountability over examination irregularities was justified and deserved serious attention.
“Their demand is not wrong. We are also seeking justice in this matter. I do not understand why the government is not paying attention to these issues,” he said.
Notably, Sonam Wangchuk has been on hunger strike in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), an online satirical movement demanding educational reforms. The protesters are seeking the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities, including the paper leak that led to the cancellation of a key medical entrance examination.
