SHIMLA: Student, youth, and social organizations staged massive protests across Himachal Pradesh on Monday, hit the streets in Shimla, Solan, and Kullu to express solidarity with environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk. Led by various student wings and left-wing organizations, the demonstrators held rallies and sit-ins to voice their anger against the Central government.
The protestors demanded the immediate release of Sonam Wangchuk, transparency in the country’s education system, and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In the state capital Shimla, youth gathered near Sher-e-Punjab to stage a sit-in. The protest site witnessed high drama as demonstrators raised slogans like “Sonam Wangchuk Zindabad” and “Dharmendra Pradhan Istifa Do” (Dharmendra Pradhan resign). The protesting youth asserted that the voices of students and youth should not be suppressed in a democratic system.
Meanwhile, a massive protest rally was organized in Solan district by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), and several social organizations. The rally commenced from Children’s Park and concluded at the Old Rest House. The activists expressed deep concern over the recurring paper leak incidents in the country, demanding an impartial probe into all such cases and urging the Centre to ensure accountability in the education system.
Kullu district also witnessed sharp protests as CITU and CPI(M) workers gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) office. The protestors accused the Central government of ignoring serious student-related issues, alleging that incidents like paper leaks have left the future of lakhs of youth in limbo. The demonstrators in Kullu also raised slogans against the Delhi Police, reiterating their demands for Wangchuk’s release and the Education Minister’s resignation.
The protestors gathered across various districts of Himachal Pradesh warned the Centre that if these legitimate demands of students and youth are not addressed seriously, the agitation will be intensified and expanded in the coming days. The development highlights the growing nationwide demand for reform and transparency within the education system, an issue for which activists like Sonam Wangchuk continue to receive widespread support.
