New Delhi: Activist Sonam Wangchuk, accompanied by his wife Gitanjali Angmo, paid floral tributes at Rajghat on Monday shortly after being discharged from Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, marking his first public appearance following the conclusion of his 26-day hunger strike.
Addressing the media after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi, Wangchuk said he chose to visit Rajghat first to express his gratitude to the Father of the Nation and reaffirm his faith in the effectiveness of Gandhian 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," he said.
Wangchuk noted that he and his supporters had been practising Gandhian methods in Ladakh for the past five to six years but had been uncertain whether the same approach would resonate at the national level. He said the movement had reinforced his belief that peaceful protests continue to be effective even today.
Urging people across India and the world to adopt non-violent means to voice their concerns, Wangchuk said, "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."
He also congratulated the youth, senior citizens and volunteers who participated in the agitation, saying the movement's achievements were secured through peaceful endurance rather than violence.
"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," Wangchuk said.
Wangchuk's hunger strike, launched over the alleged NEET paper leak and demands for examination reforms, drew nationwide support and sustained protests, eventually leading to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 26. Following his resignation, the Centre appointed Prahlad Joshi as the new Union Education Minister. Wangchuk ended his fast after he got assurances from the government and MPs across party lines that his demands for exam reforms and no action against peaceful protesters would be met.
