'Felt Like Being In North Korea': Sonam Wangchuk On Treatment At Delhi Hospital
Ladakhi activist Sonam Wangchuk has alleged that he was treated like a prisoner during his recent hospitalization in Delhi. He claims he was denied basic communication tools and restricted from meeting others, comparing his experience to life in North Korea.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between civil society activists and state authorities in India regarding the right to protest and medical treatment during detention.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has alleged that after he was "forcibly" taken to state-run Safdarjung Hospital on July 18, he was treated "like a prisoner". The 59-year-old, who began his hunger strike on June 28 at Delhi's Jantar Mantar supporting the satirical political group, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), was whisked away by the police on the morning of July 18, citing medical advice and Delhi High Court directions."It wasn't just a hospital; it was a cantonment, it was a prison. I was kept in a way that perhaps even a prisoner wouldn't be kept," he said in a YouTube video posted late Friday night."There were restrictions on everything. I couldn't step out of the room. Not even a bird could flutter its wings near our room. There was no permission to meet anyone.
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