Ranchi, July 20: Student and youth organisations, along with Left political parties, staged a demonstration in Ranchi on Monday in support of Ladakh-based social activist and education reform advocate Sonam Wangchuk.
The protesters also demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing concerns over education policies and students’ rights.
The protest was held at Albert Ekka Chowk, where members of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and several student organisations gathered with placards and banners.
Demonstrators raised slogans and called for greater transparency, accountability, and reforms in the education sector.
Addressing the gathering, CPI leader Bhuvneshwar Mehta said democratic institutions should protect the constitutional rights of citizens and stressed the importance of respecting differing opinions in a democracy.
He urged the government to respond constructively to concerns raised by students and civil society.
Mahendra Pathak, who also participated in the protest, said many students remain worried about their future and called on the government to take concrete steps to strengthen the education system and safeguard students’ interests.
CPI (ML) leader Anand Prasad Gupta said the concerns of young people should be addressed through dialogue and policy reforms.
He warned that public protests could intensify if the issues raised by students continued to remain unresolved.
AAP leader Rajesh Linda expressed support for Sonam Wangchuk and said individuals raising public concerns should be heard in a democratic system.
He urged the government to engage with differing viewpoints instead of dismissing them.
The protesters reiterated their demand for the resignation of the Union Education Minister, alleging that the Centre had failed to adequately address issues related to education and student welfare.
Traffic movement around Albert Ekka Chowk was briefly affected during the demonstration.
Police personnel remained deployed at the site, and the protest concluded peacefully without any major untoward incident.
The organisers said they would continue their campaign for education reforms, students’ rights, and greater transparency in policymaking.
They also warned that the movement could be expanded across Jharkhand if their demands are not addressed.
