Various student, youth, and social organisations held protests in Shimla, Solan, and Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, on Monday in support of environmentalist and social activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Raising slogans against the Central government, the protesters demanded Sonam Wangchuk's release, the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and transparency in the education system. Rallies and sit-ins were organised at several districts. They also demanded an impartial investigation into paper leak cases.
In Shimla, youth staged a protest near Sher-e-Punjab. During the demonstration, slogans such as "Sonam Wangchuk Zindabad" (Long live Sonam Wangchuk) and "Dharmendra Pradhan Resign" were raised. The protesters asserted that the voices of students and the youth should not be suppressed.
In Kullu, CITU and CPI(M) activists staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner's office. They alleged that the Central Government is ignoring student issues and that the future of lakhs of youths is being affected by paper leak incidents. During the protest, slogans were also raised against the Delhi Police, and demands for Sonam Wangchuk's release and the Union Education Minister's resignation were reiterated.
The protesters warned that if the demands of students and the youth are not seriously considered, the agitation would be intensified further.
The Rampur unit of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) also staged a protest at the Government Post Graduate College, Rampur, in support of the ongoing student movement at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. During the protest, activists raised their voices against examination scams, paper leaks, the privatisation of education, and alleged growing irregularities within the education system.
SFI unit secretary Rahul Vidyarthi and vice-president Vikrant Thakur stated that the examination scams and paper leak incidents reported across the country have cast a shadow of uncertainty over the futures of lakhs of students. They alleged that students who have worked hard for years are bearing the brunt of corruption and administrative negligence.
Also read: CJP protest spirals into chaos; Cops fire tear gas, wield lathis
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