Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: ‘No permission sought or granted’ for Parliament protest march, says Delhi Police

Ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party's proposed march to Parliament tomorrow morning to press for education reforms, political leaders, actors and the public thronged the protest site at Jantar Mantar, even as authorities put in place elaborate security arrangements and said that no permission has been sought for any such procession.

"We are determined not to allow any unauthorised march towards the high-security zone," police sources told news agency PTI, stressing that prohibitory orders have been imposed in New Delhi district and warning against any violation.

Police have converted several entry points into high-security zones with multi-layered barricades, enhanced surveillance, anti-sabotage checks and round-the-clock patrolling in New Delhi, Central Delhi and parts of North Delhi ahead of the CJP march, the sources said.

Sonam Wangchuk was stable on Saturday but needed round-the-clock medical care and close monitoring due to the physiological stress and systemic effects of his prolonged hunger strike, Safdarjung Hospital authorities said.

A health bulletin issued by VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital said Wangchuk's vital parameters were stable and his blood parameters had shown marginal improvement.

A multidisciplinary team of experts from Safdarjung Hospital and Delhi AIIMS is supervising his treatment, it said.

"The treating teams of doctors from VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS, New Delhi, are of the considered opinion that sustained medical intervention and round-the-clock clinical monitoring remain essential to promptly detect and manage any potential complications.

Sonam Wangchuk will end fast tomorrow if political leaders meet him, assure to raise education accountability in Monsoon Session, says Gitanjali Angmo.

Delhi Police clarified that "no permission has been sought or granted for any protest march/procession" in view of a proposed march to Parliament by CJP on Monday.

"Prohibitory order under Section 163 BNSS is in force in the New Delhi District. Accordingly, protest marches, processions, demonstrations and assemblies of five or more persons are strictly prohibited, except at the designated protest site at Jantar Mantar, with prior permission," the DCP posted on X.

Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday urged all political parties to join the protest for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET paper leak.

Addressing protesters at Jantar Mantar, Sisodia said education reforms need sustained efforts.

"Education reform is not a small task. It takes years of consistent effort. I have spent my life working for education reforms, and I am ready to dedicate the rest of my life to this cause," he said.

Sisodia called the protesters at Jantar Mantar "soldiers of the education revolution" and said Abhijeet Dipke and his companions have taken up the fight against the "education mafia." The Aam Aadmi Party leader said Sonam Wangchuk has strengthened the movement by putting his own health at stake, and chastised the government for not yet speaking to the agitators.

Joining the gathering at Jantar Mantar is Shabana Azmi, Bollywood actor, expressing support for the protests. "Listen to the protesters, engage in dialogue. A democracy works only when the last person, be it a man or a woman, rich or poor, old or young, is heard, when their questions are answered," she says. (Express Photo by Devansh Mittal)

Sonam Wangchuk's wife Dr Gitanjali Angmo says, "They said they brought him in because they were deeply concerned about his health as it was declining. But these claims are incorrect. First of all, his health was not deteriorating at all. If you look at the reports from the evening prior, everything was absolutely normal... If you were truly so concerned about his health, why did you send police personnel in plainclothes? Why did you so ruthlessly pick him up, put him on a stretcher, and take him away?"

She added, "You could have simply come to conduct a medical test and informed his family that a certain level was low and you wished to take him in for that reason. That is the proper way to handle things in a democracy. If you were genuinely concerned about his health—and I want to say this without mincing words—then this whole narrative about health concerns is nothing but a charade. They were simply afraid that if Sonam set out on his march, hundreds of thousands of people would join him—not just in Delhi, but across the entire country—and they were trying to prevent that."

Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT) says, "This fight is not just about activist Sonam Wangchuk. This government has stolen the future of youth."

Security has been further intensified across New Delhi ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament and the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) proposed "Chalo Sansad" march, PTI reported.

The Delhi Police has deployed additional personnel, strengthened barricading and is conducting intensive vehicle checks at key entry points, sources said on Sunday.

Police sources mentioned that the CJP has not obtained permission for the proposed march. "We are determined not to allow any unauthorised march towards the high-security zone," they said.

Justice Mini Pushkarna refuses to pass any interim orders. "This court is of the view that since the government has taken the decision to shift Mr Wangchuk to the hospital on account of his medical condition, this court does not find the same as an arbitrary action. Further, since doctors at the Safdarjung Hospital are closely mnitoring health of Wangchuk and has only administered oral drops without consent, it cannot be said that any force is being used against Wangchuk or his bodily autonomy is being violated in any manner."

"However considering that Wangchuk in his own volition did not check himself into any facility in view of his deteriorating condition, govt was within its right to take such actiona and as already stated in July 16 order that every life is precious and should be taken care of."

Kapil Sibal questions the Centre's insistence on keeping him in a government hospital without a 'detention' order. "My contention is without any detention order, I want a person to remain in a government hospital? I’m entitled to a doctor and hospital of my choice. If the government is so concerned, please associate yourself (with the treating team of Wangchuk’s choice)...so this concern will be taken care of that government doctors will be there...what is the impediment there? What is the government’s problem with that (of a hospital my choice)?”

ASG Sharma says: "They have absolutely no reason for any sort or manner of doubt in remotest possible corner of their brain... he has to cooperate with the attending doctors and also what the (division bench in its July 15 order) has categorically observed."

Opposing Angmo’s prayer to allow legal access to Wangchuk, ASG Sharma says, “this is a hospital, not a courtroom, what kind of prayer is this? It befuddles me.”

For context: Gitanjali J Angmo, in her petition, is seeking the court’s directions to declare Sonam Wangchuk’s continued confinement at Safdarjung Hospital as “unconstitutional” and to permit his immediate discharge and facilitate his transfer to a hospital or medical facility of his and Angmo’s choice.

Angmo has alleged that “taking undue advantage” of the Delhi HC’s July 18 order “as a colourable pretext” to remove Wangchuk from the protest site at Jantar Mantar “without free and informed consent” of Wangchuk. 

The Delhi High Court begin hearing the petition by Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo, seeking his immediate discharge from Safdarjung Hospital, after alleging that he is being “illegally detained” at the hospital.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal is making submissions on behalf of Angmo.