Wangchuk’s removal from Jantar Mantar: Congress accuses govt of crushing peaceful protest
The Congress party has criticized the government's handling of activist Sonam Wangchuk's protest at Jantar Mantar, calling the police intervention an attack on democratic rights. The incident has sparked a broader debate on the government's treatment of dissenters.
Why it matters
This event highlights ongoing political tensions in India regarding the right to protest and the government's response to civil activism.
The Congress on Saturday (July 18, 2026) criticised the police action at Jantar Mantar, following which activist Sonam Wangchuk was shifted to a hospital , describing it as a “blot” on the country’s democracy and the Constitution. They alleged that it reflected the government’s mindset that a peaceful protest is not a fundamental democratic right to be protected, but a law and order problem to be crushed.
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Attacking the BJP, the Opposition party also said it was a shame that the world's largest democracy was being "ruled" by the most undemocratic and anti-democratic political party in the world.
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