Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijit Debki was seen crying at Jantar Mantar after chaos on Saturday morning at the protest site when Delhi Police personnel rushed activist Sonam Wangchuk to hospital.
Debaki was seen holding a picture of Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar sitting at the protest site surrounded by other activists. He then put his face in his hands and began to cry while other activists and demonstrators around him began to console him and offered him water. Track the latest updates on the CJP protest chaos
Debaki himself went on a hunger strike after policemen removed Wangchuk from the protest site at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Dipke also broke down as he addressed the crowd holding a copy of the Constitution, recounting that Wangchuk did not want to go to the hospital.
He added: “He did not want to go to the hospital. He wanted to join the parliamentary march. But what these police did – he was not a criminal. The way they took him hiding under the sheets – if you were that concerned about his health, you should have treated him with respect.”
High drama in CJP protest
The CJP’s protest at Jantar Mantar turned into chaos on Saturday morning after Delhi Police arrived and took away Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for the past 21 days in support of students protesting against exam irregularities. Police said he was taken to hospital on orders from the Delhi High Court regarding his health, which was severely affected due to his indefinite hunger strike.
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While police were arresting Wangchuk, Debke said he was detained by police and beaten. The protesters were allegedly beaten with lathis, a claim rejected by the Delhi Police.
White sheets and plainclothes policemen
Police used white sheets to prevent cameras from taking Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar, while witnesses also said that police arrived at the protest site in civilian clothes and claimed to be a medical team.
The police plan to move Wangchuk also included deploying network jammers, news agency PTI reported, citing sources.
The report added that the pre-arranged operation was planned throughout the night following directions from the Delhi High Court and medical advice that recommended Wangchuk be admitted to hospital.
According to sources, senior officers received instructions from the police headquarters at around 1.30am to ensure that Wangchuk underwent a medical examination and was taken to hospital.
Shortly thereafter, senior officers of the New Delhi district gathered at Mandir Marg police station to plot the operation.
A police source said a security maneuver was conducted to assess how to transport Wangchuk “without confrontation” in less than a minute.
Wangchuk was rushed to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital where his wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, is now accompanying him. She said Wangchuk should not have been taken to hospital, and asked the authorities not to give him any medication without consulting her, his family or his doctors.
What Delhi Police said after removing Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar
Delhi Police said Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung Hospital for “basic medical care” after expert medical advice and in compliance with directions issued by the Delhi High Court.
DCP (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma told HT, “Based on the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and on expert medical advice due to deteriorating health condition of Sheikh Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to hospital for basic medical care.
While implementing the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the protesters tried to create obstruction, causing minor commotion, but the police exercised utmost restraint and carried out the exercise safely. We request the protesters at Jantar Mantar to vacate the place peacefully as soon as possible.”
