NEW DELHI: Activist Sonam Wangchuk has voiced disappointment with both the ruling and opposition parties over their handling of his recently concluded 26 day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. Speaking about the events surrounding the protest, Wangchuk said attempts to conclude the fast through senior opposition leaders did not receive the expected support, while he also accused Union ministers of failing to honour commitments made during the agitation.
According to Wangchuk, his wife Gitanjali had been coordinating efforts to have Congress leader Rahul Gandhi symbolically conclude the hunger strike by offering him juice. However, despite repeated attempts, she was unable to secure a positive response, leaving both of them disappointed.
He said the idea was to bring together representatives from opposition parties and student organisations at the conclusion of the protest to demonstrate collective support for the movement. The absence of such coordination, he said, weakened the intended message of unity behind the campaign.
Wangchuk also levelled criticism at Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh, alleging that they had assured him photographs of them offering him soup would not be made public until he formally announced the end of the fast. According to the activist, those assurances were not honoured, leading to a loss of confidence in political leaders across party lines.
He remarked that incidents during the protest had eroded his trust in political leadership, saying commitments made during sensitive public movements should be respected. Wangchuk added that only a limited number of political leaders visited the protest site and many did so after considerable delay.
Reflecting on his wife’s public remarks, Wangchuk said her criticism of Rahul Gandhi was influenced by the disappointment both experienced during the efforts to conclude the fast. He noted that her comments were directed at the political response rather than any personal issue.
The activist also referred to the online backlash faced by Gitanjali after she questioned Rahul Gandhi’s decision to stage a protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence. Wangchuk claimed that although she had made equally strong remarks against the BJP and Hindutva groups, criticism emerged primarily from Congress supporters after her comments regarding Gandhi.
He said political supporters should be open to criticism and avoid reacting defensively whenever leaders are questioned. According to Wangchuk, constructive criticism should be viewed as part of democratic discourse rather than as an attack on any individual or party.
Despite expressing dissatisfaction with mainstream political parties, Wangchuk praised the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), whose campaign against alleged examination irregularities he joined during the Jantar Mantar protest. He described the organisation as committed to public interest and said he found its members sincere, impartial and focused on the issues rather than political affiliations.
Wangchuk welcomed CJP’s decision to continue functioning as a non-political pressure group instead of entering electoral politics. He said such organisations play a crucial role in representing citizens whose concerns often go unheard and added that he had encouraged the group’s leadership to maintain its independent, issue-based approach.
The activist maintained that public movements are most effective when they remain centred on people’s concerns rather than partisan politics, stressing that trust and transparency are essential for sustaining democratic campaigns.
