Activist Sonam Wangchuk has explained why he softened his demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation during negotiations with the government. He said that by July 22, resignation was no longer his immediate priority, as he became increasingly concerned about the possibility of violence spreading beyond the protest site.
Speaking on the PGX podcast, Wangchuk said his main focus shifted to protecting students who had participated in the agitation from criminal cases and other forms of legal harassment. He described this assurance as his “non-negotiable” demand during negotiations.
Wangchuk said he believed Pradhan’s resignation could be pursued later and that other groups were also demanding accountability. However, he wanted the immediate issue of legal protection for protesting students to be resolved.
“My main point was that there should be no legal harassment,” Wangchuk said, explaining that he therefore softened the resignation demand and asked the government to consider accountability through resignation while guaranteeing that students would not face legal action.
The activist said his concerns were influenced by his experience following the violence in Ladakh in September 2025. According to him, more than 80 cases remained pending a year later, and some people who had attempted to prevent violence were themselves jailed.
Wangchuk said he feared a similar situation could emerge in Delhi if the protest continued. He recalled reports of a possible violent buildup in Connaught Place on the night of July 23 and expressed concern about what could happen if unrest spread to other major cities.
He said the government initially offered only a verbal assurance that protesters would not face legal harassment. Wangchuk rejected this and insisted on a written commitment, including a guarantee that students exercising their fundamental right to protest would not face FIRs or other legal action.
According to Wangchuk, government interlocutors eventually informed him around 11.30pm on July 23 that the assurance would be provided in writing.
The negotiations followed meetings with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, who Wangchuk said met him at the hospital on the night of July 21 and urged him to end his hunger strike.
While Wangchuk softened his position during the talks, the demand for Pradhan’s resignation continued to be pursued by Cockroach Janta Party leaders after his hunger strike ended.
Wangchuk said he supported their decision, maintaining that resignation represented accountability for the events surrounding the protest. However, he also said he did not believe a change of minister alone would necessarily bring major changes to the education system.
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