Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, on 19 July alleged that the BJP-led Central government is 'scared' that lakhs of people will join her husband in a peaceful march to Parliament, scheduled for Monday, 20 July — the first day of the Monsoon Session. Her remarks came a day after Wangchuk was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi following reported health deterioration during his 20-day hunger strike.

Delhi High Court Refuses Interim Relief

The Delhi High Court on Sunday declined to pass any interim order on a plea filed by Angmo challenging Wangchuk's continued hospitalisation at Safdarjung Hospital. The court observed that the government's decision to shift him from the Jantar Mantar protest site — citing his deteriorating medical condition — could not be termed arbitrary.

The ruling effectively kept Wangchuk in hospital custody ahead of the planned march, which his supporters had billed as a major show of public solidarity.

What Gitanjali Angmo Alleged

Speaking to reporters, Angmo contested the government's stated medical rationale for the hospitalisation. 'His health was not deteriorating. If you look at the reports from the previous evening, everything was completely normal; his potassium level was 4.3, and other parameters were also normal,' she said.

She further questioned the manner of the transfer, alleging that police personnel in civilian clothes forcibly moved Wangchuk on a stretcher without informing the family or conducting a formal medical assessment. 'If they are indeed concerned about his health, they could have come and properly conducted a medical test and informed the family that some parameter is low, so we want to hospitalise him — that is a process followed in a democracy,' she added.

Angmo also alleged that hospital authorities had refused to allow Wangchuk's private doctors to consult with him, with the hospital reportedly citing its status as a government facility. She noted that his blood pressure, which she said typically stays at 110/70, had risen to 125/85, which she attributed to the 'atmosphere being created there'.

Allegations of Illegal Detention

Angmo drew a parallel between the current situation and Wangchuk's earlier detention at Jodhpur jail, alleging that he is being denied access to a phone or electronic device at the hospital. 'This is being treated like an unsaid illegal detention,' she said, pointing to the continued police presence near Wangchuk's ward.

She alleged: 'All this health concern is a drama. They were scared that if Sonam leads the march tomorrow, lakhs of people will join him — not only in Delhi but across the country.'

Background and the Broader Agitation

Wangchuk's hospitalisation comes in the context of a sustained agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. The protest at Jantar Mantar had drawn national attention, with Wangchuk's hunger strike entering its third week before authorities intervened.

Angmo said the government's move may backfire: 'People who were already willing to join Wangchuk in the march — now their numbers will double in his absence, because we are fighting against this misuse of police, judiciary, and education system.'

What Happens Next

The march to Parliament was still scheduled for Monday, 20 July, even in Wangchuk's absence, with supporters indicating they would proceed regardless. The episode is likely to intensify political scrutiny of the Centre's handling of the protest, particularly as Parliament's Monsoon Session gets under way.