Picture : ANI/X
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has said the success of the recently concluded students’ protests reaffirmed that Mahatma Gandhi’s methods remain relevant, and clarified that Union ministers helping him break his hunger strike signified the Centre’s acceptance of their demands rather than any political endorsement.
Speaking to PTI after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, Wangchuk said criticism over him ending his 26-day fast in presence Union ministers Jitendra Singh and J P Nadda stemmed from a misunderstanding of the Ladakhi traditions.
“I wanted to pay my tribute to Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi). His path is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. This experiment is successful today,” he told PTI.
Explaining the controversy, Wangchuk said in Ladakh, when a government representative or senior leader helps breaks a protester’s fast, it is regarded as a sign that the government has yielded to their demands.
“In Ladakh, when protests happen, it is believed that if a government representative or some big leader breaks your fast, it is considered a victory. They are bowing to you while feeding you. When that does not work out, we break our fast by the hands of a child or an elderly person,” he said.
Recalling earlier protests in Ladakh, Wangchuk said a government secretary had ended his fast during an agitation at the Ladakh Bhavan, while a child had broken his 21-day fast in Leh because no government representative had turned up.
“In Ladakh, this is considered victory, maybe it is different in Delhi,” he said.
Addressing reporters after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, Wangchuk said the movement had once again demonstrated the enduring relevance of Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent resistance.
“People kept saying such tactics would not work on this government. I believe it is more about taking the message to the people, and every government ultimately listens to the people,” he said.
Referring to his earlier campaigns in Ladakh, Wangchuk said Gandhi’s methods had worked there too, but the latest movement had proved their relevance at the national level.
