Why Has Rahul Gandhi Not Visited Jantar Mantar? Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Opposition Support
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has come under political scrutiny after his absence from both the ongoing student-led protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and rain-hit Wayanad became the centre of a fresh political confrontation. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) questioned the Leader of the Opposition's whereabouts, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray appealed to him to personally join the agitation led by activists demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities.
The protest at Jantar Mantar has gained national attention with activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk continuing his indefinite hunger strike. The movement, initiated by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), seeks action over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and demands the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Although Rahul Gandhi has consistently criticised the Centre over paper leak controversies and has interacted with students during the Congress party's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' campaign, his physical absence from the protest site has prompted questions from political opponents as well as some supporters of the movement.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Sonam Wangchuk urged opposition parties to stand alongside protesting students, warning that they risk disappointing the country's youth if they fail to actively participate. He suggested that the movement required broad political support beyond public statements.
Rahul Gandhi is expected to continue the Congress campaign on education-related issues with a student interaction programme in Dehradun later this week. The Congress has been demanding accountability from the Union government over alleged examination irregularities, a position that broadly aligns with the concerns raised by the protesters at Jantar Mantar.
The BJP, however, intensified its criticism by highlighting Rahul Gandhi's absence from Wayanad, which recently witnessed a deadly landslide. Party leaders questioned why neither Rahul Gandhi nor his sister and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had visited the affected region following the tragedy.
In a social media post, the BJP said there had been no public information regarding Rahul Gandhi's whereabouts for several days and argued that public representatives should remain accessible during times of crisis. The party also questioned the Congress for remaining silent while frequently criticising the government's functioning.
Senior BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi also targeted the Congress leadership, saying the people of Wayanad deserved the presence of their elected representatives during a difficult period following the natural disaster.
