Ballari: Students protest police action against Sonam Wangchuk, demand abolition of National Testing Agency
Student activists in Ballari protested against the police removal of Sonam Wangchuk and demanded the abolition of the National Testing Agency. The demonstrators cited ongoing exam irregularities and the government's refusal to engage in dialogue as reasons for their dissent.
Why it matters
The protest highlights growing student dissatisfaction with national examination bodies and the government's handling of public dissent.
Members of the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) staged a protest near OPD Circle in Ballari on Saturday (July 18), condemning the alleged forced removal of educationist and environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk and other fasting protesters by the Delhi police. The demonstrators also demanded that the Union government immediately initiate democratic talks with the protesters.
AIDSO district president K. Eranna alleged that repeated irregularities in examinations conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), including NEET-UG, had jeopardised the future of lakhs of students across the country. Referring to the nation-wide protests seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, he said the ongoing hunger strike led by Sonam Wangchuk had entered its 20th day and that the government’s failure to engage in dialogue reflected an anti-democratic attitude.
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