- Uddhav Thackeray supports CJP protest at Jantar Mantar.
- He urged Rahul Gandhi to join youth protest against exam irregularities.
- He backed Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike over NEET paper leak.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday extended his support to the ongoing protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by Abhijeet Dipke, at Jantar Mantar. He backed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 20 over demands related to alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak controversy.
However, the UBT chief also urged Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to visit the protest site and extend his support to the CJP’s ongoing demonstration at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Thackeray expressed solidarity with the outfit and Wangchuk while calling for greater support for the protest.
The Cockroach Janta Party, along with Wangchuk, began an indefinite sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar on June 20. The GenZ protest, led by Boston-returned Abhijeet Dipke, has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities.
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What Thackeray said
Thackeray said the issue was not political but concerned the future of the country’s youth, urging people and political parties to unite and raise their voices.
"We need to stay awake. Sleeping won't work. The situation in the country is very strange. This is not a political issue. This is about the country. The country needs to wake up. That is why all political parties should come together for this," Thackeray said.
Backing Wangchuk, who joined the CJP protesters at Jantar Mantar and began an indefinite hunger strike, Thackeray alleged that the "government was insensitive" towards genuine concerns.
"Today, during this press conference, I am giving my full support to Sonam Wangchuk. Sonam Wangchuk's health is also not well. We need people like him," he said.
Thackeray said he had earlier requested Wangchuk not to go on a hunger strike, alleging that the government was ignoring public concerns.
"Sonam Wangchuk had come to meet me. That person was labelled a traitor. I requested Sonam Ji not to go on a hunger strike. This government doesn't care about anything," he said.
"Rahul Gandhi ji should also go"
The UBT chief said he would visit the protest site and called on Rahul Gandhi to do the same.
“I will also go. Rahul Gandhi ji should also go. All those who have faith in the country's youth should go. People across the entire country should come out on the streets and support them,” he said.
He added that he would not ask everyone to participate in the proposed march to Parliament on July 20 but urged citizens to support the protesting youth.
"I will not say that everyone should participate in the march on the 20th. Wherever I am, from there itself, we should support these youths. These youth are moving forward without any flag," Thackeray said.
Several opposition leaders have backed the protest, including leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, CPI, and other parties. Many have either expressed solidarity with the protesters or visited the protest site at Jantar Mantar.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh and former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi; TMC leaders Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad; and CPI(M) leaders MA Baby, Brinda Karat, and Kerala leader KK Shailaja are among those who have extended support to the online outfit.
However, the Congress is yet to publicly announce its support, although it has been raising similar issues for months. While Amravati Lok Sabha MP Balwant Baswant Wankhede has visited the CJP protest site, other leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, appear to have adopted a “wait and watch” approach.
( With inputs from agenci