Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut on Friday, 25 July launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the conclusion of activist Sonam Wangchuk's 26-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, alleging the fast was forcibly ended at midnight without fulfilling the movement's central demand — the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

What Raut Alleged About the Fast's End

Raut told reporters that the manner in which the fast concluded raised serious questions. He argued the nation would have been better served had Wangchuk ended his strike publicly at Jantar Mantar, surrounded by supporters, rather than in the company of government officials. He questioned why two Union Ministers from the very government the protest was directed against were present at the conclusion, while opposition leaders and key organisers were excluded.

'Two ministers from the very government against which the hunger strike was staged came and ended the fast. For an agitation supported by all anti-dictatorship parties and organisations, an opposition representative should have been present — at least organiser Abhijeet Dipke or Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi,' Raut said.

The Unresolved Demand: Pradhan's Resignation

Raut pressed the government to clarify which specific demands were accepted before the strike was called off. He noted that the primary condition — Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as Union Education Minister — remained unmet. 'There is still complete confusion regarding what demands were met. The pledge was that the fast would not end until he stepped down. What happened to that demand? The government must explain to the nation why Pradhan is being protected,' he said.

Midnight Timing and Allegations of Fear

Raut alleged that the timing — midnight — was deliberate. He claimed the administration had earlier sought to discredit Wangchuk by labelling him a 'Chinese agent' and physically removing him from the protest site. He further alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who typically addresses the nation at 8:00 pm, instead took to social media at midnight — a sign, Raut argued, of political anxiety. 'Amit Shah and Narendra Modi were terrified,' he said, adding that the decision to end the fast should have rested with the injured activists or the lakhs of protesters, not the government.

Protests to Continue Across Maharashtra and Beyond

Despite the fast's conclusion, Raut announced that the broader movement would intensify. He said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray were jointly leading a 'Rashtragan' (National Anthem) protest in Mumbai on Friday. A joint mega-rally — described as a 'virat morcha' — organised by Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray is scheduled in Mumbai on Sunday, 27 July, with parallel protests planned across multiple states.

Raut's Counter to the Government on Debate

Responding to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's claim that the opposition fears open discussions, Raut countered that the government itself had consistently avoided parliamentary debate. 'When did this government ever allow discussions — whether on Pulwama or farmer suicides? We demanded a parliamentary debate on day one, and the government fled from it,' he said. Raut made clear that while the Jantar Mantar fast has ended, the nationwide movement against educational governance and central authority will continue to grow.