Thousands in Pune protest peacefully for Sonam Wangchuk, CJP; demand Pradhan's resignation

On July 20, thousands of protesters gathered at the Pune District Collectorate to express solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike and support the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) march to Parliament in New Delhi. Unlike protests in Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai, which saw police action including tear gas, lathicharge, and detentions, the Pune protest concluded without any incident.

Protesters demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing the NEET-UG paper leak and issues with the CBSE On-Screen Marking system that have affected lakhs of students across the country.

The gathering began at 4 pm outside Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Garden near the Collectorate. Starting with a few individuals, the crowd swelled to several thousand, prompting police to barricade the road and reroute traffic. Authorities maintained a watchful presence but no confrontations or arrests were reported.

The protest in Pune was part of a broader wave of demonstrations across India supporting Wangchuk's hunger strike and the CJP's demands for educational reforms. Wangchuk, a prominent education activist from Ladakh, began his indefinite fast on July 16 to highlight issues in the education system.

While the government has engaged in talks with CJP leaders, it has not yet conceded to their demands. The peaceful nature of the Pune protest stands in contrast to events in other cities, where protesters faced police action.