Supporters gather for Sonam Wangchuk as hunger strike continues; 'Mohammad Deepak' speaks out

Gitanjali Angmo, wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk, called off her scheduled media briefing on Sunday morning, but among those assembled outside Safdarjung hospital was a familiar face – Deepak Kumar, popularly known as “Mohammad Deepak”.

In January this year, Deepak, who ran a gym in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, at the time, took on a mob that was harassing an elderly Muslim shopkeeper who suffers from Parkinson’s disease. Upon being asked his name, Deepak had responded defiantly, “Mohammad Deepak”. Deepak had faced a backlash from rightwing Hindu groups, and an alleged “economic boycott” of his gym had followed. The Indian Express reported at the end of May that his landlord had served an eviction notice on the gym.

“I spoke to Gitanjali ma’am (Sonam Wangchuk’s wife) a few days ago. She said my support would mean a lot to Sonam. That’s why I came to meet him, but the police did not allow me inside (Safdarjung hospital),” Deepak told The Indian Express.

Outside Safdarjung hospital’s Netaji Subhas Gate (Gate No. 2), there was heavy deployment of police and security forces. Barricades were in place and the entry of vehicles was prohibited. People approaching the gate were being asked why they needed to go inside. Dr Satish Lamba, Wangchuk’s personal physician, was standing outside the gate. “I have not met him since he was taken away from the protest site forcibly. This is literally a fortress they have made,” he said.

Deepak said he had earlier visited the Jantar Mantar protest site as well. “I am going to join the march to Parliament (on Monday). The NEET leak should not have happened — it is affecting the future of our country,” he said.

Sonam Wangchuk and the activist youth platform Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) have been demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the leak of the May 3 NEET-UG question paper. Wangchuk and the CJP have announced a march to Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon Session.

“This is a very dark time for our country. The government is not listening to anybody’s demands. This is a sign of a dictatorial government,” Deepak said. “The way Sonam sir was removed from the protest site was illegal. He is being kept inside like a prisoner is kept in jail.”

Outside the hospital gate, a man who identified himself as a 32-year-old daily-wage labourer named Pradeep Paswan, asked why Wangchuk had to be taken away from the protest site when he was continuing with his hunger strike even in hospital. “He has still not broken his fast. There was no need for the police to take him,” Paswan said. Paswan said he had come from Madhubani in Bihar to join the protest. “I urge everyone to march to Parliament tomorrow,” he said.

Not everyone outside the gate, however, was there for Wangchuk or the protest. Some were visitors to the hospital for medical reasons, and were upset at being denied entry. A couple from Laxmi Nagar, who gave their names as Sandeep and Geeta, said they were surprised when they saw the barricades and police bandobast. “We are not aware of any protest at Jantar Mantar,” they said. “Nor do we know who Sonam Wangchuk is.”