Delhi BJP slams AAP, Left over Wangchuk hospital shift row
Synopsis
Delhi BJP has turned Sonam Wangchuk's court-directed hospital transfer into a full political offensive, accusing AAP and the Left of using the NEET protest as cover to destabilise Parliament's Monsoon Session. The BJP's charge — that senior Opposition MPs rushed to court for a 'political pawn' — sharpens a confrontation that goes well beyond student grievances.
Key Takeaways
Sonam Wangchuk was transferred from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday on Delhi High Court directions.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor alleged AAP and Communist parties deployed 1,200–1,500 workers at Jantar Mantar after the transfer.
Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra flagged the appearance of MPs Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha in the High Court, calling Wangchuk a 'political pawn of the Opposition.' The Delhi High Court declined to grant interim relief on the petition filed on Wangchuk's behalf.
BJP alleged the hunger strike began on 28 June — a week after a NEET re-examination was reportedly held on 21 June — and was aimed at disrupting the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor on Sunday, 19 July accused leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Communist parties of being rattled by the transfer of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital. The shift, carried out on the directions of the Delhi High Court, has drawn sharp political reactions from across the Opposition.
BJP's Charge Against AAP and Left
Kapoor alleged that AAP and the Communist parties viewed Wangchuk's removal from Jantar Mantar as a setback to their efforts to 'provoke and mislead the youth.' He claimed that since Saturday, both parties had deployed between 1,200 and 1,500 workers at Jantar Mantar in response.
The BJP spokesperson further alleged that those present at what he described as an 'AAP and Communist-sponsored gathering' included 500 to 700 middle-aged residents of JNU hostels and 250 to 300 young onlookers with no direct connection to the NEET controversy or competitive examinations. He also alleged that workers at the site had been 'misbehaving with mainstream media personnel,' which he called evidence of the agitation's failure.
Delhi BJP President Flags Opposition Lawyers
Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra separately pointed to the appearance of senior lawyers and Opposition Members of Parliament — including Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha — before the High Court, arguing that their involvement demonstrated Wangchuk was 'not an ordinary activist but a political pawn of the entire Opposition.'
Malhotra noted that the Delhi High Court declined to grant any interim relief on the petition filed on Wangchuk's behalf, calling the police action of shifting him to hospital fully consistent with the court's own directions.
NEET Backdrop and Timing Questions
The BJP also raised questions about the timing of the hunger strike. Malhotra alleged that Wangchuk joined the NEET-related hunger strike on 28 June — a demonstration he said was co-sponsored by AAP, the Communist parties, and the Indian National Congress (Congress) — even though a re-examination of NEET had reportedly already been conducted on 21 June to the satisfaction of authorities.
'This clearly demonstrates that the purpose of the hunger strike was not to raise students' issues, but to disrupt the streets to Parliament during the Monsoon Session,' Malhotra said.
What Happens Next
Wangchuk remains at Safdarjung Hospital following the court-directed transfer. The political standoff at Jantar Mantar is likely to continue through the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, with both the BJP and the Opposition hardening their positions on the NEET controversy and the legitimacy of the protest.
Point of View
It attempts to recast a student grievance narrative into an Opposition opportunism story. What mainstream coverage underplays is that both framings can coexist — genuine student anger over NEET and political actors seeking to amplify it are not mutually exclusive. The more consequential question is whether the Delhi High Court's refusal of interim relief signals a broader judicial reading of the protest's legal merit, or was simply procedural. That distinction matters far more than the BJP-AAP blame exchange currently dominating the headlines.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Sonam Wangchuk shifted from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital?
Sonam Wangchuk was shifted from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital on the directions of the Delhi High Court. Delhi BJP confirmed the transfer was carried out by Delhi Police in compliance with the court's order.
What is the Delhi BJP's allegation against AAP and the Left over the Wangchuk protest?
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor alleged that AAP and Communist parties are 'rattled' by Wangchuk's hospital transfer because it denied them an opportunity to 'provoke and mislead the youth.' The BJP claims both parties deployed 1,200–1,500 workers at Jantar Mantar after the shift.
Why did the Delhi BJP raise the involvement of Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha?
Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra argued that the appearance of senior lawyers and Opposition MPs Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha before the High Court proves Wangchuk is 'not an ordinary activist but a political pawn of the entire Opposition.' The Delhi High Court declined to grant interim relief on the petition filed on his behalf.
What is the link between the Wangchuk protest and the NEET paper leak controversy?
Wangchuk reportedly joined a NEET-related hunger strike on 28 June, which the BJP says was co-sponsored by AAP, the Communist parties, and Congress. BJP alleges the protest was politically motivated, noting that a NEET re-examination had already been conducted on 21 June — a week before the strike began.
What happens next in the Wangchuk-Jantar Mantar standoff?
Wangchuk remains at Safdarjung Hospital following the court-directed transfer. The political dispute is expected to continue through the Monsoon Session of Parliament, with both the BJP and Opposition maintaining their positions on the NEET controversy and the nature of the protest.
