Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 24 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday questioned the manner in which climate activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike, claiming that the fast should have concluded at Jantar Mantar in the presence of protesters and the public.
Reacting to Wangchuk ending his hunger strike, Raut said he was happy that the activist had called off the protest but questioned the involvement of Union Ministers in the process.
"The movement of 26 days inspired the youth and ordinary citizens of the country to come out on the streets. The same government against which the protest was held had its two ministers present when the hunger strike was ended. This raises several questions," Raut said.
He asked what assurances were given by the government to Wangchuk and said the details should be made public.
Raut said the demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was one of the main demands of the protest. "If this demand has not been fulfilled, then what was the reason for ending the hunger strike?" he questioned.
He alleged that the government was trying to protect Dharmendra Pradhan and also raised concerns over the death of a student and injuries sustained by several others during police action.
"If Wangchuk had to end his hunger strike, it would have been more appropriate if he had done so by drinking juice at the hands of injured students or fellow protesters. That would have respected the spirit of the movement," Raut said.
Raut also said that major protests were planned in Mumbai, including a "national anthem movement" by Aaditya Thackeray and various organisations, while a march would be held on Sunday under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray.
He alleged that the Chief Minister was now talking about dialogue, despite the government not responding to repeated demands from the Opposition for discussions earlier.
Raut further alleged that the government attempted to suppress and discredit the protest at Jantar Mantar and claimed that Wangchuk was treated in an "inhumane" manner.
He said the movement was not about an individual but against the country's political system. "The government wanted to take credit for ending the movement, whereas the movement belonged to the people," he said.
Referring to Anna Hazare's movement, Raut said democracy becomes stronger when governments accept demands and resolve issues through dialogue.
He said that fasting for 26 days for the country's youth and education system was a significant effort and that Sonam Wangchuk deserved respect for it. Raut expressed hope that the movement would continue and that Wangchuk would remain actively involved in it.
On the anti-defection law, Raut alleged that the BJP government was violating the spirit of the legislation by encouraging defections. He claimed that legislators were being "bought" and questioned the credibility of new laws introduced by the government.
Raut said a government that does not respect existing laws cannot expect people to trust new legislation.