Yogendra Yadav calls Wangchuk’s removal ‘one of India’s most shameful acts’

Political activist and psephologist Yogendra Yadav on Saturday strongly criticised the police operation to shift activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site to hospital, describing the incident as "one of the most shameful acts in the history of India".

Addressing protesters at Jantar Mantar, Yadav said the events of the morning reflected the growing impact of the agitation rather than its failure.

"Whatever happened this morning at this site reflects the success of the protest," he said, claiming that the government had expected public participation to remain limited because the agitation was receiving little coverage in the mainstream media.

The Hindu reported that Yadav argued that social media had instead amplified the campaign, pointing to a recent video of Wangchuk in which the activist said he was well and urged supporters to join a march scheduled for 20 July. According to Yadav, the video had received around 144 million views.

Condemning the manner in which Wangchuk was removed from the protest site, Yadav alleged that police used white sheets to shield the operation from public view.

"They used white sheets to hide the shameful act of forcibly taking Sonam Wangchuk, who is the pride of this nation," he said.

Delhi Police shifted Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital early on Saturday after his health reportedly deteriorated during his indefinite hunger strike. Authorities have maintained that the move was taken on medical grounds following concerns over his condition.