Rohit Kumar
NEW DELHI, July 19: Even as the activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk continued his indefinite fast from the Safdarjung hospital bed after the Delhi High Court on Sunday rejected his wife’s plea to shift him to a private hospital, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has initiated the agitation, and its founder Abhijeet Dipke, who is also on indefinite hunger strike, expressed the apprehension that the Delhi Police “is planning to crackdown on our protest during night or early hours of morning – silencing the voice of youth.”
Dipke urged the public to join them for a night vigil, stating that the proposed ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on Monday would go ahead as planned. “We are fully expecting Delhi Police will try to evict us tonight but they won’t be able to do it if you show me in massive numbers. Let’s show them the power of the peaceful protests,” the CJP wrote in a post on X.
Mr Wangchuk —who was forcibly removed from Jantar Mantar protest site as his indefinite hunger strike entered day 21 on Saturday, continues to fast in the hospital. Through the day, he refused intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solution and other medications despite signs of dehydration and metabolic abnormalities, hospital authorities said. An independent expert from AIIMS has concurred with the treating team that Sonam Wangchuk needed “immediate medical intervention,” the hospital said in its latest bulletin.
He, however, would have to remain in the government-run Safdarjung hospital after the Delhi High Court on Sunday sided with the Center and said the activist’s right to bodily autonomy was not violated, and the government’s move to shift him there was due to his deteriorating health and it was not arbitrary.
A single-judge bench of Justice Mini Pushkarna defended the central government and said it was within the right to intervene because the activist, who has been on a hunger strike in Delhi over NEET UG paper leak, did not admit himself to a hospital despite his health deteriorating continuously.
It, though, issued a notice to the Centre, the Delhi Police and the Safdarjung Hospital on Angmo’s plea seeking his transfer to a private facility. The high court also directed that Angmo and Wangchuk’s family members must have round-the-clock access to him.
Gitanjali Angmo has decided that she would challenge the order before a double-judge bench and seek an urgent hearing on Monday, senior advocate Vivek Tankha said.
During Sunday’s hearing, a doctor submitted that Wangchuk was administered oral medicine without sugar with his consent. “Since doctors of the hospital are closely monitoring him and gave him oral medicine with his consent, it cannot be said that force is being used or his autonomy is being violated,” Justice Pushkarna said. The urgent hearing was convened on a request by Angmo early Sunday morning, with her alleging that she had lost trust in the hospital over a lack of transparency.
Representing Angmo, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said she wanted him to be shifted to Medanta hospital. “Whatever is to be done will have to be done by a doctor of my choice. It is my body, and I decide where I go,” he told the court.
The government, represented by Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, submitted that there would be huge consequences if anything happens to Wangchuk. On his wife seeking to shift him to a private hospital, Sharma pointed out that even the President avails treatment at a government hospital. Sources in the government had earlier flagged a health risk to Wangchuk if he was shifted out of Safdarjung.
The center also requested the court to pass an order to let them take whatever action needed to save Wangchuk’s life. The bench said the medical team treating him would take the ultimate decision. The court has also directed a status report to be filed in three days. The next hearing has been fixed on July 24.
Dr Akshay Kumar, Additional Professor of Emergency Medicine at AIIMS Delhi said that he attended to activist Sonam Wangchuk and examined him today. On his health status, Dr Kumar said: “All his vital parameters, blood pressure, oxygen, pulse rate are normal. He is fully in his senses and is able to speak properly. We are monitoring him continuously. We are also trying to talk to him so that he takes IV fluids and IV electrolytes. We are following whatever best we can do for him and trying our best that we can get him better as soon as possible.”
Wangchuk had been on hunger strike since June 28, as part of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s protest against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak. His wife will lead a march to Parliament tomorrow to raise their demands. Wangchuk was not alone, at least 21 student leaders continue a hunger strike in solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Activist Anna Hazare has said the Union government should hold talks with Mr Wangchuk. “The government should not test his limits. Say yes or no (to his demands) but what is wrong in holding discussions,” he said in a video message.
At the agitation site in Jantar Mantar in Delhi, the crowds continued to swell on the 28thth day of the protest, and volunteers at a medical counter handed out Strepsils and Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) to protesters. As scores of people walked in and out of the site, those on hunger strike stayed in their makeshift tents lined up meters away from the stage at one side. The tents were brimming with posters, whiteboards full of slogans, bags, clothes, towels and other necessities. The names of those on hunger strike were stuck on boards, along with the number of days that they have been protesting.
Police have stepped up round-the-clock surveillance, vehicle checks and additional personnel are being deployed ahead of the CJP’s Parliament march on Monday. Police have converted key entry points into the New Delhi district into high-security zones, with elaborate barricading, intensive checking of vehicles and enhanced pickets to prevent any breach of law and order, sources said.
The source also said the CJP has not sought permission for the proposed ‘Chalo Sansad’ march so far. “Even if the organizers apply for permission, it is unlikely to be granted because the Monsoon session of Parliament will be underway and security protocols around Parliament will be at their highest level.”
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