Hyderabad candlelight vigil backs Sonam Wangchuk, demands NEET action

A candlelight vigil was held near the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar statue at Necklace Road in Hyderabad on Thursday evening, July 16, in solidarity with activist Sonam Wangchuk and to protest the alleged NEET paper leak. The protest occurred as Wangchuk's hunger strike entered its 19th day.

Organised by a coalition of civil society groups, the gathering began around 7 p.m. with participants lighting candles and raising slogans. Placards read 'Save Sonam Wangchuk', 'Protect Student Rights', and 'Sack Dharmendra Pradhan'. The crowd demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, protection of student rights, and the abolition of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Dinesh, a working professional, criticised the government's handling of entrance exams. "We work day and night, pay taxes, and yet the government cannot conduct an examination properly. Worse, it refuses to dialogue with protesters like Sonam Wangchuk," he said. Sandhya, a teacher, emphasised the need for broader participation: "Students are protesting, but change requires parents of lakhs of children to join as well."

Akunuri Murali, former chairman of the Telangana Education Commission, expressed concern over Wangchuk's health and criticised the Union government's silence. "It appears they are waiting for something unfortunate. Our demands are to protect Sonam Wangchuk, seek the minister's resignation, and investigate the NTA," he said. Murali argued that centralisation of exams under the NTA undermines federalism, stating that states are capable of conducting their own entrance tests for state institutions.