Success of movement is wake-up call for government, says Wangchuk’s wife

Gurugram: A day after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26 days of hunger strike, wife Gitanjali J Angmo said the agitation demanding accountability over exam paper leaks and seeking educational reforms was “successful” while hoping that the countrywide support to the movement serves as a “wake-up call” for the NDA government at the Centre.

Speaking to reporters, Angmo said: “Sonam Wangchuk has ensured the security of the students with a written confirmation from the government that no legal action will be taken against them.”

“The student leaders will decide on the course of the protest after meeting with the government,” she added.

She reiterated Wangchuk’s statement that the government has provided a written assurance that no legal action will be taken against the July 20 Parliament march of protesters or those still agitating at Jantar Mantar.

“No FIR, lathi charge, or undue force will be used against anyone. Families of the children who died by suicide during NEET paper leak will be provided compensation. Finally, the exams and educational reforms we put forward, will be discussed in the Parliament, and some result and solution will definitely come out of it. All these things have been written, signed and given to us by the government,” Angmo said.

While asserting that the movement has been “very successful”, she mentioned that all political leaders, including from the ruling alliance and those of the Opposition, have assured that these issues will be discussed during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Gitanjali Angmo emphasised that the success of the agitation is just the first step and that the educational reforms will continue in the country.

“The second most successful thing is that because of this, the country has awakened. This could happen because the NEET paper leak was just a symptom, the causes behind it existed in all systems and not only in education but also including judiciary,” she added.

She further claimed: “We got support across India, it is a representative of the common man’s regular sufferings. We hope that it will be a wake-up call for the government and they may have realised that the country is disappointed with them.”

Meanwhile, on Sonam Wangchuk’s recovery, his wife said: “He is currently on liquids as there is a process to again kickstart the digestive system. Soon, he will be put on semi-solids and then will transition to solids.”

IANS