Sanjay Raut Alleges ‘Authoritarianism’ in Sonam Wangchuk’s Detention, Links Police Action to Shiv Sena Protest

Nagpur, July 2026 : Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Central government over the police action against innovator, educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, alleging that the activist’s forcible hospitalisation reflected an “authoritarian mindset” and was timed to divert public attention from the party’s protest in Nagpur over alleged irregularities related to the Ram Mandir.

Addressing reporters in Nagpur, Raut claimed that Wangchuk’s removal from the protest site at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar was not merely a health-related intervention but part of a larger political strategy to shift national focus away from the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s ‘Ram Raksha’ agitation led by party chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Calling the government’s actions “dictatorial,” Raut alleged that the Centre had ignored Wangchuk’s demands for three weeks and intervened only when his movement began attracting wider public support.

“This is nothing but authoritarianism,” Raut said. “Sonam Wangchuk remained on an indefinite hunger strike for 21 days, demanding accountability over issues affecting millions of students. Instead of engaging in dialogue or addressing the concerns raised during the protest, the government chose to forcibly remove him and admit him to a hospital. That is not how a democracy functions.”

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader argued that if the government had genuinely been concerned about Wangchuk’s health, it would have initiated talks with him much earlier instead of remaining silent throughout the hunger strike.

“If the authorities truly valued his life, they would have reached out to him when the fast began. There was complete silence for 21 days, and suddenly, police action was taken. That raises serious questions,” he remarked.

Raut further alleged that the timing of the police operation was politically motivated. According to him, the action was intended to overshadow the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s ‘Ram Raksha’ protest organised in Nagpur to highlight what the party describes as alleged corruption and financial irregularities related to the Ram Mandir project in Ayodhya.

“The second objective behind this action was to divert media attention from today’s massive protest in Nagpur under Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership,” Raut claimed. “The government wanted headlines to focus elsewhere instead of the issues we are raising.”

Despite these allegations, Raut said the party’s programme would proceed as planned. He confirmed that Uddhav Thackeray had already departed for Nagpur and was scheduled to lead the protest later in the day.

“Uddhav ji will reach Nagpur this afternoon and participate in the programme at the Ramnagar Ram Mandir as scheduled. Our agitation will continue irrespective of attempts to divert attention,” he said.

The controversy surrounding Wangchuk’s hospitalisation has also drawn criticism from other Opposition leaders. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule had earlier expressed solidarity with the activist during a visit to Jantar Mantar, where she appealed to him to end his hunger strike due to his deteriorating health.

Sule criticised the Centre for what she described as an insensitive response to Wangchuk’s protest, saying the government should have initiated dialogue instead of allowing the situation to worsen.

She also condemned the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, describing them as a serious issue affecting lakhs of students across the country. According to Sule, Wangchuk’s campaign had resonated with many citizens, and she said people in her constituency had appreciated her decision to support both Wangchuk and youth activist Abhijit Dipke.

While urging Wangchuk to call off his fast on health grounds, Sule acknowledged that the activist remained determined to continue his protest until his demands were addressed. Opposition leaders have since intensified their criticism of the Centre, accusing it of failing to engage with protesters and relying instead on police intervention to deal with dissent.