Delhi Police Allegedly Cut Off Water at Sonam Wangchuk Jantar Mantar Protest
The Delhi Police allegedly cut off basic sanitation, water connections, and hygiene facilities at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi on Sunday, following the announcement of a hunger strike by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), raised the allegations on Sunday, stating that the authorities had removed essential hygiene measures despite repeated appeals highlighting Wangchuk's age and health. Dipke expressed concern that other basic facilities at the demonstration site might also be disconnected.
Prior to commencing the fast, Wangchuk and Dipke paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The demonstration at Jantar Mantar began with a two-minute silence observed by hundreds of gathered supporters, including students, youth, and farmer leaders.
Wangchuk stated that he felt compelled to join the protest in support of issues concerning the education system, a subject he said has been central to his life for four decades. He noted that while his recent activism focused on safeguarding the Himalayas in Ladakh, he could not ignore the concerns raised by young people regarding education.
The climate activist expressed disappointment with the government's response, stating that a lack of accountability had forced them to resort to a peaceful protest in the heat. Wangchuk was previously released from Jodhpur prison in March 2026 after spending nearly six months in detention under the National Security Act during protests for Ladakh's statehood.
The ongoing CJP demonstration at Jantar Mantar commenced on June 20, focused on alleged irregularities in the national examination system, including NEET.
Dipke and other protest organizers also alleged that authorities had placed several farmer leaders from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab under house arrest on Sunday morning to prevent them from reaching Jantar Mantar. Representatives from the Sarv Khap Panchayat attended the site to show solidarity, claiming that around 500 farmer leaders and members of various organizations had been blocked from traveling to the capital.
