Akhil Gogoi Calls for Sonam Wangchuk’s Release and Dharmendra Pradhan’s Resignation

On Saturday, 19 July 2026, the air around Delhi’s Jantar Mantar was thick with tension. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger‑strike over alleged irregularities in the NEET exam, was taken by police to Safdarjung Hospital. The move sparked an outcry that rippled through the protest crowd.

Standing on the sidelines, Akhil Gogoi – the fiery chief of the Raijor Dal and a sitting MLA from Assam – lifted his voice. He said the activist’s “forcible hospitalization” was a clear over‑step and demanded her immediate release. "If the state wants to silence dissent, let it do so through dialogue, not by dragging people to hospitals," Gogoi told the gathered supporters.

But Gogoi didn’t stop at the activist’s case. He turned his gaze toward New Delhi’s corridors of power, calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. "The Minister must take responsibility for the chaos that has engulfed the education system," Gogoi argued, linking the NEET paper‑leak controversy to a broader loss of public trust.

The demand struck a chord with many on the ground. Some protesters chanted, others held placards that read “Free Sonam Wangchuk” and “Pradhan must go.” Yet, amid the chants, a few voices reminded the crowd that due process matters, urging calm while still pressing for accountability.

Officials from the Ministry of Education have not yet responded publicly, and Delhi Police have declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding Wangchuk’s hospitalization. Meanwhile, the activist remains under medical observation, her condition reported as stable but still under watch.

What’s clear is that the episode has added fresh fuel to an already volatile debate about exam integrity, student safety, and political responsibility. Whether Gogoi’s twin demands will translate into concrete action remains to be seen, but the spotlight is undeniably on both the activist’s health and the minister’s future.