Leh/New Delhi:
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, a face of the Cockroach Janta Party’s maiden protest that forced the education minister’s resignation in July, was not at the youth movement’s October 10 protest, but has now reacted in support, a day after saying he had other important things to do at home in Ladakh.
“India in a state of undeclared Emergency,” he said on X, decrying the mass detentions, including of CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke and others.
“I will be compelled to consider an Anshan Fast (hunger strike) or Padyatra March (foot march) if they are not released by tomorrow,” he added, as the CJP and Opposition leaders were disallowed from protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over the alleged electoral irregularities and “collusion” between the Election Commission and the ruling BJP.
INDIA IN A STATE OF UNDECLARED EMERGENCY… Yesterday when I posted a message appealing for unity & peace in today’s protest I had never imagined that the biggest democracy in the world would be under an undeclared EMERGENCY. I was happy there were so many leaders to lead the movement, but I now learn that they have all been arrested. I hope those arrested will be released soon. I will be compelled to consider an Anshan Fast or Padyatra March if they are not released by tomorrow. #JantarMantar #protest #CJP #CEC #sonamwangchuk
— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) October 10, 2026
Wangchuk addressed his earlier sitting-out decision, citing a change in situation. “Yesterday when I posted a message appealing for unity & peace in today’s protest I had never imagined that the biggest democracy in the world would be under an undeclared Emergency,” he said.
In his post on Friday, Wangchuk had mildly edited Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s famous she’r (couplet) to make his point: “Aur Bhi Gham Hain Zamaane Main Siyaast Ke Siva… Rahaten aur bhi hain wasl ki raahat ke siva.”
“There are other sorrows in this world besides politics [original is ‘mohabbet’, love]; there are other comforts besides the union with a beloved,” it says when translated from Urdu to English; the original used “dukh”, not “gham”, for sorrow.
WHY I WON’T BE ABLE TO JOIN YOU ALL IN DELHI…! Despite all efforts of the government to hinder & damage our work we continue to work for national security… making preparations as another winter comes. This includes making artificial glaciers for water security & experiments for GLOF or glacial lake flood security… to difuse the 200+ ticking water bombs in high Himalayas. Adapting Faiz Sahab’s words I would say… Aur Bhi Gham Hain Zamaane Main Siyaast Ke Siva… Rahaten aur bhi hain wasl ki raahat ke siva. Hence I send my bestest wishes to all & urge the leaders of different groups to stay united & show statesmanship, meanwhile I urge all the genZ friends to once again stay absolutely peaceful at all costs. This was the gift of Baapu that I tried to bring to Jantar Mantar in June, I hope we won’t let Baapu down. #JantarMantar #protest #CJP #CEC #sonamwangchuk
— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) October 9, 2026
At the last protest, Wangchuk was picked up on the 21st day of his hunger strike, after which came the massive July 20 march and eventually the resignation of senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister on July 25. Wangchuk was meanwhile in hospital, where he ended his strike on July 23.
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Wangchuk and CJP have since gone their separate ways largely, with Wangchuk returning to work in Ladakh. He’d cited that work in his explanation for why he was not joining the protest now. “Despite all efforts of the government to hinder & damage our work we continue to work for national security… making preparations as another winter comes. This includes making artificial glaciers for water security & experiments for GLOF or glacial lake flood security… to difuse the 200+ ticking water bombs in high Himalayas,” he’d written in his Friday post.
“I send my bestest wishes to all & urge the leaders of different groups to stay united & show statesmanship,” he’d added, and urged “Gen Z friends” to “stay absolutely peaceful at all costs”.
“I hope we won’t let Baapu down,” he also said, referring to Mahatma Gandhi and his method of peaceful protest.
On Saturday, he said, “I was happy there were so many leaders to lead the movement, but I now learn that they have all been arrested. I hope those arrested will be released soon.”
