New Delhi: At around 7 am on July 18, a posse of plainclothesmen claiming to be doctors entered the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest site at the Jantar Mantar, climbed onto the stage where climate activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk had been fasting for the last 21 days, and held up white sheets to cover what they were going to do next.Then, according to eyewitnesses, they allegedly dragged a screaming Wangchuk off on a white bedsheet to a waiting ambulance nearby and drove off.For a government as image-conscious and non-transparent as this one, the visuals of plainclothesmen surrounding Wangchuk with white sheets to hide what they were doing will haunt it for a long time to come.A huge number of police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel then swarmed into the protest site and tried to take the fasting students, Neha, Aameen and Manish, away but were prevented by a large number of students and volunteers who quickly formed a human chain around them to prevent this from happening.‘They descended on Sonam sir like jackals’A volunteer who was present at the time and saw it all said, “What happened today was really wrong. They descended on Sonam sir like jackals. They even swore at him saying, ‘Utthh be saale, tera hunger strike ho gaya hai.’ If they can do this to a scientist, what hope is there for us students? It’s time not just for Dharmendra Pradhan to resign but for Narendra Modi to resign as well.”As news of Wangchuk’s forcible removal from the site spread, the protest site started filling up quickly with media persons, students, protestors and others who came to express solidarity.A visibly upset and emotional Abhijeet Dipke – the founder of CJP – stood on stage, held up a copy of the Indian Constitution and vowed to continue the protest while also declaring that he too will start an indefinite hunger strike. He also declared that the plans to march to parliament on July 20 were still on.“Please come to Jantar Mantar to support the cause of your own children’s education. If they remove us from here, then start a Jantar Mantar where you are, in your corner of the country. Our protest will be Gandhian because we are all followers of Gandhi and Ambedkar,” said Dipke.He then turned his anger to the police and the prime minister and said, “Shame on all of you for what you did today!”Political activist Yogendra Yadav meets Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke as he begins indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar after activist Sonam Wangchuk, unseen, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 21 days, was shifted to a hospital for medical care, in New Delhi, Saturday, July 18, 2026. Photo: PTIAnjali, a visibly upset Delhi university student said, “The way they dragged Sonam Wangchuk off was inhuman! A scientist and an innovator – who, incidentally is a supporter of this government’s National Education Policy — was dragged off like a common criminal. For two and half hours we didn’t even know where the police had taken him.”Anjali added that there was a huge deployment of at least 200 to 250 cops and security personnel.“We were kicked and punched. Some of our phones were broken. And all we did was ask you to stop paper leaks and show some accountability! The president of the BJP, Nitin Nabin, tells us we are all viruses and that BJP workers ‘will deal with us’. Is this what he had in mind?” she said.Anjali said members of the BJP regularly come to the protest site to provoke the protesters and cause problems.“Yesterday someone threw an object at Sonam sir at 11:30 at night. So, who are the real terrorists here? Us, or those who have shut down one lakh schools? Those who want corruption and profiteering to increase? Or those who want the education system to be fair, transparent and equitable?”Activist Yogendra Yadav who came to show solidarity with the protesters said, “As someone who has witnessed many protests, I think this marks one victory of this struggle. The government thought this struggle would fizzle out. It did not. That they were forced to take Sonam is already an admission of defeat.”‘Sonam Wangchuk’s vitals were not down, the Modi government’s vitals were down’“Sonam Wangchuk’s vitals were not down, the Modi government’s vitals were down, that’s why this action has taken place, and I am quite confident that this attempt to suppress will actually spread it further and intesify this further,” he added.The All India Students’ Association (AISA) the students’ outfit with which Neha, Aameen and Manish – on hunger strike since 21 days – are affiliated with, meanwhile, is gearing up for the next phase of its struggle and has put out a press release saying that the police are likely to come after the AISA protesters.“Through several sources it is expected that the Delhi police will phase its crackdown on the protest at Jantar Mantar. Next attack is expected against hunger strikers Neha, Manish and Aameen who are also on the 21st Day of their hunger strike. After illegally detaining Sonam Wangchuk early in the morning, Delhi Police may attack the student leaders on the strike.We appeal to all friends of the movement and friends in media to join in large numbers,” said AISA.Rohit Kumar is an educator and can be reached at letsempathize@gmail.com.