Sonam Wangchuk joins CJP protest in Delhi, says ‘elections rigged, Pradhan should resign’

New Delhi, June, 20
Education reform activist calls for greater accountability in governance, recruitment processes, and educational institutions while paying tribute to aspirants who allegedly died by suicide
Education reform activist and engineer Sonam Wangchuk on Friday joined a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Delhi, where he paid tribute to examination aspirants who had allegedly died by suicide and called for greater accountability in the education system.
Wangchuk began his address by offering flowers before photographs of aspirants whose deaths were highlighted by protesters, before speaking about the struggles faced by students preparing for competitive examinations such as NEET, JEE, and the Civil Services Examination.
“I have seen how hard aspirants work for these examinations, and then they suffer,” Wangchuk said, referring to the challenges faced by candidates pursuing government jobs and higher education opportunities.
Drawing from his own experiences, Wangchuk alleged that government officials and civil servants often face pressure that compromises their ability to function independently. Referring to his detention and allegations made against him in the past, he claimed that dedicated officers are sometimes prevented from performing their duties in accordance with the law.
Questioning whether individuals should compromise their principles for government employment, Wangchuk said that people must not “sell their soul” in exchange for salaries or positions. “If we abandon honesty, we become part of the same dishonest system,” he said. The activist accused Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of failing to uphold accountability in the education sector and said the minister should resign. He argued that every religion teaches adherence to truth and righteousness and that public officials should be held to those standards.
Wangchuk said that education and environmental protection have remained central to his public work and asserted that examination-related concerns are not merely student issues but matters affecting society at large.
Speaking about democratic accountability, Wangchuk also referred to developments concerning Ladakh and alleged that commitments made regarding democratic representation had not been honoured. He said citizens must continue demanding accountability from governments and institutions.
Invoking Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Ram during his speech, Wangchuk quoted:
“Raghu kula reet sada chali aaye, praan jaaye par vachan na jaaye.”
He urged protesters to remain committed to peaceful and principled activism.
“We have to bring accountability. This movement is about asking questions of the government,” he said.
The remarks were met with applause from protesters gathered at the venue, who said they would continue pressing for reforms in recruitment processes, examination systems, and educational governance.