Congress MP Imran Masood questions Sonam Wangchuk's decision to end hunger strike
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Congress MP Imran Masood on Friday criticised climate activist Sonam Wangchuk for ending his 26-day hunger strike, alleging that the decision was the result of a "personal deal" with the government despite assurances secured for protesting students.
Speaking to ANI, Masood compared Wangchuk to veteran social activist Anna Hazare and questioned the circumstances under which the fast was withdrawn.
"He is Anna part two. For 12 years, Anna has remained silent, and now Sonam Wangchuk will remain silent. You were striking a deal with the government yesterday; at the time, was any student present there? What else is there except your personal deal with the government?" Masood said.
His remarks came despite Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha being among the Opposition leaders who met Wangchuk and urged him to end his indefinite fast. A delegation of Opposition MPs had assured Wangchuk that the issues raised during the protest would be taken up in Parliament.
Explaining the decision to end the fast, Wangchuk's wife, Dr Gitanjali Angmo, said the government had provided written confirmation accepting key demands, including that no FIRs would be filed against student protesters, compensation would be provided to NEET paper leak victims, and educational reforms would be discussed during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.
She said BJP president and Union Minister J.P. Nadda and Union Minister Jitendra Singh met Wangchuk a day earlier, while 16 MPs visited the protest site and 65 Opposition MPs submitted written assurances supporting a parliamentary discussion on education reforms.
Angmo described the agitation as a success, saying the NEET paper leak was a symptom of deeper systemic issues in the education sector. She added that student leaders would decide the future course of the agitation after meeting government representatives.
Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal welcomed Wangchuk's decision to end the fast, saying his life and health were important for the nation.