Sonam Wangchuk visits Rajghat with wife after getting discharged from hospital (Image/PTI)
NEW DELHI: Climate activist and social reformer Sonam Wangchuk on Monday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat after being discharged from Medanta Hospital in Gurugram after ending his 26-day hunger strike.Wangchuk went to Rajghat with his wife, Gitanjali Angmo, before returning to Ladakh. He said he wanted to visit the memorial after ending his hunger strike and movement to remember Gandhi and highlight the relevance of his principles.“Following the conclusion of this 26-day fast and movement, I wanted to come to Rajghat first to remember Mahatma Gandhi, to express my gratitude to him and to tell the country that the path he showed remains just as relevant and appropriate today as it was a hundred years ago…For the past five or six years, we have been practising and applying this Gandhian method in Ladakh, finding it highly appropriate and relevant. Yet, I was unsure whether it would work at the national level. This time, I was reassured to see that it remains relevant at the national level even after a hundred years and will likely remain so for another hundred or even a thousand years to come. That is why I urge the people of India and the world to voice their grievances and appeals through the path of peace shown by Bapu. A solution is bound to be found. It may take time, but it does not end in darkness; we have witnessed this ourselves. Success may not come on the very first attempt, but it is usually achieved,” Wangchuk said.He also said governments must remain answerable when people raise questions, while stressing that he did not want to get involved in controversies.“Wherever the public raises questions, the government must be answerable. Parliament and the Vidhan Sabha are the places to provide answers,” Wangchuk said.Wangchuk also congratulated the youth, common people and organisers who participated in the movement, saying the outcome was achieved through peaceful means rather than violence.“I wish to congratulate the youth, the common people, and all the citizens of this country. I also congratulate the elders, people of all ages, and the young organisers who carried this movement forward so peacefully. We must understand that if any resolution or achievement has been reached, it was not through the strength of our arms, nor through the use of lathis or stones. Rather, it came about through our appeals for peace and the suffering we endured ourselves,” he said.On being asked about breaking his fast in the presence of union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, Wangchuk said that there was a cultural difference in how such gestures are perceived in Ladakh and Delhi.“As for breaking my fast by accepting soup from the ministers, I believe there is a cultural difference in perception here. In Ladakh, when we protest, it is believed that if a government representative, especially a senior leader, comes to break your fast, it is considered a victory for your cause. When that doesn’t happen, we accept it from a child or an elderly mother. Perhaps it is viewed differently in Delhi, but I acted according to our traditions,” he said.On being asked about Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, Wangchuk said, “I sincerely hope the resignation marks the beginning of meaningful change. Otherwise, a resignation alone has no significance. It is only a starting point. Once it is accepted, the real issue must be addressed so that our country can become better. I believe that process has already begun. Discussions are underway, and I hope they lead to a positive outcome and to the adoption of whatever is in the best interest of the nation. If the issue can be resolved through dialogue and mutual respect, that would be the best outcome. Let there be a proper discussion, and after careful deliberation, let the country adopt the system that serves it best.”Wangchuk was discharged after nearly a week of medical supervision following his prolonged hunger strike.In a post on X earlier in the day, Wangchuk announced his discharge and said he would visit Rajghat before returning to Ladakh.“AND FINALLY I’m being discharged from the hospital. Will be going to Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and then back to the mountains,” he wrote.“Thank you all and BIG THANK YOU to the wonderful team of doctors and staff at Medanta Hospital Gurgaon,” he added.According to a Medanta Hospital health bulletin, Wangchuk was admitted on July 21 and was treated under an integrated protocol involving internal medicine, critical care and allied specialties. The hospital said he was stable and alert at the time of discharge, with vital signs within the normal range, and was advised routine outpatient follow-up.Wangchuk had emerged as one of the prominent faces of the student agitation at Jantar Mantar, where he staged a 26-day hunger strike demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.During the hunger strike, Wangchuk lost more than 10 kg in body weight.The protest ended following multiple rounds of talks between representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the Centre. Pradhan subsequently resigned as education minister, taking moral responsibility for the controversy.PM Modi government later appointed senior BJP leader Pralhad Joshi as the new Union education minister.
