'Govt will be responsible if...': Abhijeet Dipke says Sonam Wangchuk attacked amid hunger strike, 'object thrown'

AN physical object was allegedly thrown and twisted at mood activistic Sonam Wangchuk during his fighting(a) hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Friday, Abhijeet Dipke has said. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder also alleged that the government would be responsible if any harm came to the 59-year-old.Minutes after this, Dipke claimed Delhi Police were ‘forcefully’ taking Sonam Wangchuk away. He claimed "goons" tried to attack Wangchuk during the demonstration but said the activist was not injured. “Goons tried to attack Sonam sir at Jantar Mantar. An object was thrown at him, but fortunately, he was not hurt,” Dipke wrote on X. Track Sonam Wangchuk's Day 21 hunger strike updates hereDipke alleged that he warned a few days earlier that people would be sent to Jantar Mantar to disrupt the protest after being informed by "an insider in the police." "A few days ago, I had warned that people would be sent to Jantar Mantar to disrupt the protest after I was informed by an insider in the police," he said."If anything happens to Sonam sir, the government will be responsible as there's clearly a plan to dismantle the peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar," Dipke wrote. Sonam Wangchuk ‘forcefully’ taken to hospitalWangchuk, who is on the 21st day of his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, was taken to Safdarjung hospital by the police on Saturday. Dipke and CJP spokesperson Saurav Das claimed it was done ‘forcefully’. Students at the protest site alleged that the Delhi Police was trying to remove three other protesters who were also on a hunger strike for the past 21 days, HT has found.DCP (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma told HT, "As per orders of Hon’ble High Court and on expert medical advise due to the deteriorating health condition of Sh. Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care.While complying with the orders of Hon’ble High Court the protestors tried to create obstruction, in which slight commotion ensued, however police took maximum restrain and undertook the exercise safely. We request the protestors at Jantar Mantar to peacefully vacate the place at the earliest." Abhijeet Dipke claims detention by Delhi PoliceDipke later alleged that police cracked down on the peaceful protest site and forcibly took away the activist. The CJP President, on X, wrote that the Delhi Police used force against protesters."Delhi Police is cracking down at Jantar Mantar. Beating up people and taking away Sonam sir forcefully," he said. In another post, Dipke alleged that he had been assaulted and detained by the police. "I have [been] beaten and put under detention by Delhi Police," he wrote. Protesters lathi charged, CJP allegesThe Delhi Police lathi charged students protesting at the site amid developments surrounding Wangchuk's removal from the protest site, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das alleged. "The Delhi Police has stopped Abhijeet Dipke where he was staying. People are telling me that Sonam Wangchuk is being picked up from the protest site. Students are being lathi charged!" Das claimed on X. Earlier, Dipke alleged that several people disrupted the Jantar Mantar protest on Friday and accused the police of not acting quickly. "Today, several people created disturbances, but the police did not respond for hours," Dipke said in a post on X.He added that by not intervening, the police were allowing attempts to disrupt what had remained a peaceful protest.Sonam Wangchuk health updateAs his hunger strike completed 20 days, Wangchuk appealed to people nationwide to participate in the CJP's "Chalo Sansad" march on July 20 and said the movement needed public support.On his health, Wangchuk said the prolonged fast had taken a toll on his body but added that he would continue the protest."Yes, I am still alive. Twenty per cent of my body is gone. After fats, muscles are gone. After that, organs will go. Finally, the brain. The time has not come yet," Wangchuk said.The CJP protest, demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities in the exam system, began on June 20. Wangchuk joined the demonstration at Jantar Mantar on June 28 and has remained on an indefinite hunger strike since then.