Congress MP Imran Masood stirred a controversy on Friday after likening climate activist Sonam Wangchuk to social activist Anna Hazare and accusing him of striking a “personal” deal with the government while ending his hunger strike.
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Calling Wangchuk “Anna Hazare part two,” the MP said that, like Hazare, he too would now “remain silent.” Masood also questioned why no students were present during Wangchuk’s meeting with the government, claiming that only people from Ladakh attended the discussions. Follow CJP protest LIVE updates
“He is Anna (social activist Anna Hazare) part two. For 12 years, Anna has remained silent, and now Sonam Wangchuk will remain silent. You were striking a deal with the government yesterday; at the time, was any student present there? What else is there except your personal deal with the government?”
Along with union ministers JP Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh, senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh were also present when Wangchuk broke his fast on Thursday night.
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Masood’s remarks drew sharp criticism from Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, who said the protest was a “youth” movement and not one led by any Opposition party.
On being asked whether such statements weakened the movement, Dipke said, “This protest belongs to the youth of the nation, not the Opposition parties. This movement will not weaken.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also launched an attack on the Congress, accusing the party of “insulting” Wangchuk and claiming it was upset over not “getting credit.”
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi “never cared” about students or their protest, and accused him of avoiding a discussion on the issue in Parliament and getting MPs to abuse Wangchuk.
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“Congress has crossed all limits, the manner in which they have insulted Sonam Wangchuk. Rahul Gandhi never went to Sonam Wangchuk, he was out for vacation for 21 days and never cared about students or their protest. Today, when the Govt has spoken to protesters, spoken to Sonam Wangchuk, ended his fast and acceded to his demand that there should be discussion in Parliament, Rahul is running away from the discussion and he is getting MPs to abuse Sonam Wangchuk.”
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Poonawalla further accused the Congress of failing to act against paper leaks in states governed by the party, while hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to students. He claimed that PM Modi had consistently worked to safeguard students’ interests through measures such as fast-track courts, anti-copying laws and action within the education ministry.
Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike on Thursday night at Medanta hospital in the presence of union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh. He added that he broke his fast after the government assured him that no action will be taken against “those protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and those participating in the march to Parliament on July 20.”
Sharing a picture from the hospital on X, Sonam Wangchuk said, “Just now in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda & Dr. Jitendra Singh and the senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh I finally broke my fast after 26 days.”
“Earlier 65 members of parliament from different political parties had visited or signed letters urging me to break the fast. This was done after a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country. I will explain the conditions in detail in a separate video very soon. meanwhile urge you all to stay very vitillant about not allowing violence of any kind anywhere,” he added.
Dipke welcomed the move, saying he was relieved that Wangchuk had ended his hunger strike and thanked him for his “courage and sacrifice.”
“We are relieved and grateful that Sonam sir has ended his hunger strike after 26 days. Thank you, sir, for your extraordinary courage and sacrifice. By putting your own life on the line, you awakened the conscience of an entire nation. Your life is far too precious to this country,” he said.
‘Upset over not getting credit’, says Poonawala
“They are already very upset because they are not getting credit… PM is committed to the cause of students, he has been the one who has been consistently fighting for their fast-track courts, anti-copying law, ensuring NEET exam was carried out properly, action in the Education Ministry.”
“But look at the Congress party. In their own states papers are leaked but they don’t even sack a peon, they don’t take any action. And now they are abusing Sonam Wangchuk, they are insulting him because they want credit. It’s a fight of credit, not a fight of pupils and students.”
