Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of renowned activist Sonam Wangchuk, has sharply criticized the Congress party's recent protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence in Delhi. Angmo, a social entrepreneur and educationist, described the demonstration as "insincere" and called for political leaders to instead join students protesting at Jantar Mantar.
Her remarks, made in an interview on July 23, 2026, followed a protest on July 21 where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several senior party members were detained by police. Dramatic scenes unfolded as Gandhi was reportedly lifted and dragged away, sustaining a nosebleed during the scuffle. The Congress party stated their protest aimed to highlight accountability regarding the handling of ongoing student demonstrations.
Lack of Sincerity Questioned
Angmo emphasized that the public is increasingly discerning and cannot be misled by symbolic gestures. "The protest outside the Prime Minister's residence lacked sincerity. The public cannot be fooled anymore. This is an awakened India. Those who are insincere will be thrown out by the youth," she asserted.
She suggested that some politicians are now attempting to "exploit" her husband's reputation and the broader student movement. Angmo, a Chevening scholar from Oxford University, stressed the apolitical nature of the student-led movement, spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
"The movement has shown every political leader that they have to walk the talk. They cannot gaslight anymore or be insincere anymore," Angmo stated, adding, "For us, there is no opposition, there is no government. For us, Parliament is the highest institution. We want Parliament to look at education as the fundamental issue."
Sonam Wangchuk's Ongoing Hunger Strike
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has continued his hunger strike from a hospital, where he was admitted after being removed from the Jantar Mantar protest site on July 18. As of Thursday, July 23, 2026, his fast had entered its 26th day. Angmo has remained by his side throughout this period, facilitating his transfer to a hospital of his choice after a Delhi High Court plea.
Wangchuk recently outlined conditions for ending his hunger strike, primarily seeking assurances from the government that no student participating in the July 20 march would face punitive action. While his initial demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation was not explicitly included in the letter, he reportedly received assurances from Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh that the demand would be considered during their hospital visit.