MVA Leaders Slam Centre After Delhi Police Shift Sonam Wangchuk To Safdarjung Hospital
Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders in Maharashtra strongly criticized the Central government on Saturday, July 18, 2026, after Delhi Police forcibly shifted activist Sonam Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. The opposition leaders condemned the action, which occurred during Wangchuk's ongoing hunger strike.
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, and leaders of the Maharashtra Congress described the Central government's handling of the agitation as "irresponsible" and "shameful." The political reaction in Maharashtra intensified hours after the Delhi Police moved the activist.
The activist had been on an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi since June 28, 2026. His protest was in support of an agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) regarding alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination and the alleged deaths of students linked to the controversy.
According to Maharashtra opposition leaders, the police action to forcibly hospitalize Wangchuk amounted to the suppression of democratic dissent. The MVA leaders termed the action entirely undemocratic and demanded immediate accountability from the Centre over the NEET exam controversy.
Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray led the criticism from the state, aligning with the Maharashtra Congress to voice strong objections. The leaders expressed that the forced hospitalisation of Sonam Wangchuk at Safdarjung Hospital was a direct attempt to silence peaceful protest and evade accountability.
The hunger strike was aimed at drawing attention to the NEET examination issue. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has been leading protests over the alleged irregularities, pointing to serious concerns regarding the future of students and the reported student deaths linked to the examination controversy.
The MVA leaders emphasized that a democratic government should address the grievances of its citizens rather than suppressing their protests. By forcibly shifting Wangchuk to the hospital, the authorities had shown an irresponsible attitude toward democratic dissent, the opposition leaders stated.
