Cinema VinesOn the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike, climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly removed from the protest site at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and taken to Safdarjung Hospital. Delhi Police said the move was carried out at the recommendation of medical experts and in line with a directive from the Delhi High Court, citing concerns over Wangchuk’s deteriorating health after he had lost nearly 20 percent of his body weight.
The incident sparked immediate backlash from the film and music community. Singer Vishal Dadlani posted an emotional video on social media condemning the police action, saying, “Sonam ji was forcibly taken away. It breaks my heart. People of my country, when will you wake up?” He expressed frustration and a desire to have been there to support Wangchuk.
Actor Prakash Raj also reacted strongly, sharing a screenshot from the event on X. In a statement, he accused the government of acting like a dictator, “World is witnessing a coward government who don’t want to engage in a dialogue with the youth but want to behave like dictators. Forcibly taking away @Wangchuk66 and disrupting S….” His comments highlighted the perceived lack of dialogue with young activists.
Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike since early June, released a video after 20 days of fasting urging citizens to join the “Chalo Sansad” march on July 20. He described the movement as peaceful and emphasized that its success depended on widespread participation. The protest at Jantar Mantar had already seen heightened tension when a member of the Cockroach Janata Party accused police of forcibly removing him and targeting demonstrators.
Delhi Police maintained that the hospital admission was necessary and lawful, while critics argue that the removal undermined the activist’s right to protest and raised questions about the government’s willingness to engage with youth-led movements.
