Kalaburagi: CPI(M) protests detention of Sonam Wangchuk, seeks Education Minister’s resignation
CPI(M) members in Kalaburagi protested the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The demonstrators cited alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and criticized the National Education Policy 2020.
Why it matters
The protest underscores growing political friction over national examination integrity and the treatment of activists in India.
Members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] staged a protest at SVP Circle in Kalaburagi on Sunday (July 19, 2026) condemning the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
The protesters burnt an effigy depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Pradhan and symbolically broke an earthen pot as a mark of protest against what they described as the Union Government’s “communal and fascist policies”.
Addressing the demonstrators, CPI(M) district secretary K. Neela alleged that police had forcibly removed Mr. Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister over the alleged NEET question paper leak. She described the police action as an attack on democratic rights and criticised the Centre for allegedly refusing to engage in dialogue with the protesters.
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