Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike: Why Did Govt Crack Down Now? What Happens Next?

The early morning crackdown took place barely a day after Delhi's police commissioner was abruptly replaced.

Delhi Police picked up Sonam Wangchuk early morning on Saturday. 

(Cockroach Janta Party/Instagram)

In an early morning crackdown, the Delhi Police removed activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site and admitted him to the hospital on Saturday. According to reports, the police have now sealed access to Jantar Mantar to prevent mobilisation by the Cockroach Janta Party and other organisations.

Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike since the past three weeks demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the paper leaks issue. He has also been demanding statehood for Ladakh.

The timing of this action is important. It happened just a day after Satish Golcha was abruptly replaced by Anurag Kumar as the police commissioner of Delhi and two days before the protesters' scheduled march to Parliament.

So what happens next?

The Government's Strategy

From the central government's perspective, it has achieved two things.

First, it has removed Sonam Wangchuk from the equation. Wangchuk's hunger strike has been a game-changer for the CJP protest. It broadened the appeal of the movement beyond student organisations and families affected by paper leaks. Over the last one week, several celebrities spoke out in support of Wangchuk. This hugely added to the legitimacy of the protest and made it difficult for the mainstream media to continue ignoring it. It had become a thorn for the government.

Second, sources in the government emphasise that the action was carried out in a smooth manner with "minimal use of force". The police, which had been monitoring the protest closely, chose a time to act when key protesters take a break. They are drawing comparisons with the midnight crackdown against Baba Ramdev and his supporters at Ramlila Maidan during the UPA era, which led to the death of one protester.

This is the government's perspective.

The Cockroach Janta Party's Perspective

From the CJP's point of view, the protest is far from over. In fact, they plan to intensify it. CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke has announced that he will now go on a hunger strike. Activist Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of Sonam Wangchuk, has said that any attempt to force-feed him would be a violation of his rights.

The government's claims of a 'smooth' operation notwithstanding, it chose to respond to the protest with coercion and not politically. Sealing off Jantar Mantar may create logistical obstacles for the protesters, it doesn't address the sentiment driving the protests.

In fact, the action against Wangchuk creates conditions for greater synergy between the protesters and Opposition parties. This had already begun happening with Congress leaders coming to meet Wangchuk at the protest site. Now, the defence of Constitutional values may give the Congress a pretext to further engage with the protest.

For instance, the Opposition could potentially disrupt Parliament demanding Pradhan's removal.

The focus will now shift to Abhijeet Dipke and the Monsoon Session of Parliament.