Activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly removed by Delhi Police from his protest site at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, in the early hours of 18 July, after completing 21 days of an indefinite hunger strike. The removal drew sharp condemnation from public figures including music composer Vishal Dadlani and veteran actor Prakash Raj, who accused the Union government of suppressing peaceful democratic dissent.

The Removal and Official Justification

Authorities shifted Wangchuk to a hospital, citing his deteriorating health, medical advice, and compliance with a Delhi High Court order. Police maintained that only minimal force was used and that protesters briefly obstructed the operation. Wangchuk's supporters, however, alleged the removal was carried out without his consent and described it as a crackdown on a peaceful protest.

What Vishal Dadlani Said

Composer Vishal Dadlani posted a video on Instagram on Saturday expressing his frustration. 'Have you ever seen such cowardice? They forcefully took away Sonam ji. What they are doing to this country, this is... Breaks my heart, it breaks my heart. My countrymen, when will you wake up? If you don't wake up now, when will you wake up? I don't know what to say, I don't know what to think, I don't know what to... I just wish I was there to help in some way. My brain is bursting with anger right now,' he said.

Prakash Raj's Broadside on X

Veteran actor Prakash Raj took to X (formerly Twitter) to call the central government a 'coward' administration. In his post, he wrote: '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 Students peaceful protest is a sign of Fear. What a SHAME.'

Why Wangchuk Was Protesting

Sonam Wangchuk had been on hunger strike demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. His protest came amid the broader controversy over the NEET paper leak, which involved allegations of question paper leaks, irregularities, and unfair advantages in India's medical entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Unusually high numbers of top scorers and perfect marks had raised nationwide concerns, triggering student protests demanding transparency, a re-test, and accountability.

Wider Context and What Comes Next

The government defended the exam process while multiple agencies investigated the extent of alleged malpractice. The NEET controversy has severely dented public trust in India's centralised examination system. Notably, this is not the first time protests at Jantar Mantar have ended in disputed removals — the site has historically served as a flashpoint between civil society and the state. With Wangchuk now hospitalised, his supporters have indicated they will continue pressing for answers on exam integrity and ministerial accountability.