Gitanjali Angmo, wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk, has criticised the Congress protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, calling it “insincere” and accusing political leaders of trying to use Wangchuk’s reputation for their own political purposes.
Angmo, who has been campaigning on behalf of Wangchuk during his ongoing hunger strike, said Congress leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, should have joined the students protesting at Jantar Mantar instead of staging a separate demonstration outside the Prime Minister’s residence.
Angmo, speaking to India Today, said the public could no longer be misled by symbolic political gestures.
“The protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence lacked sincerity. The public cannot be fooled anymore. This is an awakened India. Those who are insincere will be thrown out by the youth,” she said.
Her comments came after Rahul Gandhi and some senior Congress leaders staged a protest near Prime Minister Modi’s residence over the alleged crackdown on students during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march. The protest was accompanied by a violent protest and Rahul Gandhi and other top leadership members were detained by police. The Congress leader was pulled away from the protest site and was left with a nosebleed and was taken to hospital, according to sources.
The opposition party had taken such a protest to the Prime Minister’s doorstep to highlight its allegations of excessive police action against students involved in the ongoing agitation over alleged NEET-UG 2026 examination irregularities and paper leak concerns.
Angmo, however, argued that the move did not reflect the student-led movement’s nature.
‘No Opposition, No Government’, Says Angmo
Angmo stressed that the movement led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was not affiliated with any political party or ideological camp.
She said that the student movement had sent a clear message to political leaders that symbolic gestures and public appearances would not be enough to win the support of protesters.
She added: “The movement has shown every political leader that they have to walk the talk. They cannot gaslight anymore or be insincere anymore.”
Angmo, a Chevening scholar and educationist, said the movement was about education and accountability rather than partisan politics.
“For us, there is no opposition, there is no government. Parliament is the highest institution for us. We want Parliament to see education as the fundamental issue,” she said.
She said political leaders were welcome to join the protest if they came without personal or political agendas.
“Whoever comes with their own agendas will fall by the wayside because this movement is born out of sincerity and purity,” Angmo said.
Sonam Wangchuk Continues Hunger Strike
Angmo has been at Wangchuk’s side since the activist was removed from the Jantar Mantar protest site on July 18. He was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital before being transferred to another hospital after the Delhi High Court allowed him to receive treatment at the hospital of his choice.
Wangchuk's hunger strike is now in its 26th day.
On Wednesday, he released a letter outlining conditions for ending his fast. One of his most important demands was for the government to guarantee that students taking part in the July 20 Parliament march would not be punished.
Notably, his earlier demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was not included in the latest list of demands. The change was seen as a possible moderation in his position.
But Wangchuk has said that Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, who visited him in hospital earlier this week, assured him that the demand for Pradhan’s resignation would be considered.
Angmo’s remarks are further evidence of the growing friction between the movement’s organisers and political parties seeking to link themselves with the movement. Now the question is not only the alleged examination fraud but who can truly represent the students’ demands for accountability and reform.
