NEW DELHI, JULY 19: Activist Sonam Wangchuk has called the proposed July 20 march to Parliament India’s “second freedom movement”, urging supporters to turn the mobilisation into a major public demonstration against what he described as injustice and fear.
In a handwritten message conveyed from Safdarjung Hospital through his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, Wangchuk appealed to people to participate in large numbers and make the march a “big success”.
He linked his call for “freedom from injustice” to alleged paper leaks and irregularities in competitive examinations, while associating “freedom from fear” with what he has termed his “illegal detention”.
The note, later shared on X through Wangchuk’s account, sought to give the July 20 march a broader moral and political meaning by projecting the protest as a movement for accountability, democratic rights and institutional fairness.
Wangchuk’s message referred to the proposed march as a struggle against what he believes are deeper failures in the system, particularly those affecting students and young job aspirants who depend on competitive examinations for access to education and employment.
The activist has also reiterated his allegation that he is being kept at Safdarjung Hospital against his wishes after being removed from the protest site at Jantar Mantar.
The handwritten message was signed with a reference to his alleged “illegal detention”, again drawing attention to the circumstances of his stay at the hospital.
The July 20 Parliament march has been called by the Cockroach Janata Party, or CJP, which has been spearheading an agitation over alleged paper leaks and other irregularities in competitive examinations.
The protesters are demanding greater accountability in the examination system, stronger safeguards against leaks and manipulation, and structural reforms to ensure fairness and transparency in recruitment and admission processes.
They have also demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Wangchuk joined the CJP-led agitation on June 28 and later undertook a prolonged hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. He was subsequently shifted to Safdarjung Hospital.
His participation brought wider attention to the protest, particularly because of his public profile and his attempt to frame the agitation as a wider struggle involving students, youth, democratic rights and institutional accountability.
By invoking the expression “second freedom movement”, Wangchuk has sought to move the protest beyond the immediate issue of examination irregularities and place it within a larger narrative of justice and fearlessness.
The language is likely to resonate strongly with students and job seekers who have repeatedly raised concerns over examination credibility, delays in recruitment and allegations of paper leaks.
The planned Parliament march is expected to focus on demands for stronger examination security, transparent investigations into alleged irregularities, accountability of responsible institutions and reforms aimed at rebuilding public confidence in the competitive examination system.
At the same time, Wangchuk’s allegations regarding his stay at Safdarjung Hospital have added another dimension to the controversy. His supporters have continued to claim that he was taken there against his will after being removed from the protest site.
There was no official response cited in the available account to his allegation of “illegal detention”.
With the July 20 mobilisation approaching, the protest is expected to draw increased public and political attention.