[ Bini Yurom ]
ITANAGAR, 20 Jul: Thousands of students, parents, youths and citizens participated in a peaceful march organised by the youth coalition, Youth for Change, on Monday here to express solidarity with education reform activist Sonam Wangchuk and to demand greater transparency, accountability and reforms in the country’s education system.
Participants began assembling at Akashdeep from around 9 am, carrying banners and placards in support of Wangchuk’s campaign. As the crowd gathered, slogans such as “We Want Justice!”, “Resign Karo, Resign Karo, Dharmendra Pradhan Resign Karo!”, “Bandh Karo, Bandh Karo, Paper Leak Bandh Karo!” and “Aage Badho, Aage Badho, Sonam Wangchuk Aage Badho!” echoed through the area. Some participants also raised slogans critical of the Narendra Modi-led central government over the alleged examination paper leak and called for accountability.
The march commenced at around 11:30 am and proceeded peacefully from Akashdeep to IG Park, where a public rally was held. Volunteers coordinated the procession while participants marched through the capital carrying placards and chanting slogans in support of education reforms.
Addressing the gathering, various speakers said the rally was organised to express Arunachal Pradesh’ solidarity with Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike demanding reforms and greater transparency in the education sector. They said the movement was not about supporting an individual but about safeguarding the future of students and restoring public confidence in the country’s examination system.
Several speakers alleged that repeated irregularities in competitive examinations have undermined students’ trust in the system, particularly affecting aspirants from lower- and middle-income families whose future depends on merit-based recruitment. They called for greater accountability and urged the authorities to ensure that examination processes remain fair and transparent.
Speakers described the peaceful protest as a democratic right and appealed to the government to engage in dialogue with students and address their concerns.
They expressed hope that the demonstration would encourage constructive discussions and lead to meaningful reforms in the education system.
Participants who attended the rally said they had joined voluntarily to support the cause and expressed satisfaction over the large turnout. Many said the gathering reflected growing awareness among young people about issues affecting students and the importance of protecting the integrity of competitive examinations.
The participants thanked Sonam Wangchuk for what they described as his commitment to educational reforms, and expressed hope that the nationwide support would strengthen his campaign. They appealed to citizens across the country to support efforts aimed at creating a transparent, accountable and equitable education system for future generations.
The rally concluded peacefully at IG Park after participants reaffirmed their commitment to continue supporting democratic initiatives seeking reforms in the education sector.
APCC backs campaign against paper leaks
Arunachal Pradesh’ Congress unit on Monday backed the nationwide ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign against examination paper leaks, accusing the Centre of jeopardising the future of students and youths across the country.
In a statement, Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) spokesperson Johny Yangfo alleged that repeated examination paper leaks have created uncertainty among students, and questioned the Centre’s handling of the education system.
He claimed that the issue has affected the future of lakhs of aspirants, and called for urgent reforms to restore confidence in the examination process.
The Congress leader said the party’s nationwide campaign, led by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, aimed to reach out to students and highlight their concerns.
Yangfo said the campaign sought to raise awareness about issues affecting the country’s youths and press for greater accountability.
Alleging that the government has failed to address recurring paper leaks, Yangfo said students continue to suffer due to lapses in the examination system.
He also criticised the Union Education Ministry, claiming that such incidents would continue unless corrective measures are taken.
The leader further referred to the detention of activist Sonam Wangchuk and accused the government of suppressing dissent instead of responding to public concerns.
He claimed that protests against the alleged failures of the government have drawn widespread attention both within the country and abroad.
Expressing concern over reports of students allegedly taking the extreme step following examination-related issues, he urged the government to listen to the voices of the youths and take concrete action to safeguard their future.
Yangfo said thousands of youths in Arunachal Pradesh have joined the campaign and voiced their support for the nationwide movement.
The APCC, under the leadership of its president Bosiram Siram, will continue to stand with students and raise the issue until their concerns are addressed, he added.
Our correspondent adds: A peaceful protest march in solidarity with Wangchuk was organised also in Tawang by the Tawang Middle Zone Students’ Union, in collaboration with various NGOs and local residents on Monday.
The protesters marched from Buddha Park to Dungyur Mani in the Old Market area, holding placards and shouting slogans against the government’s alleged ‘dictatorial attitude’ and ‘failure’ to conduct national-level higher education entrance examinations.
They also demanded the resignation of the union education minister and called for greater transparency and accountability in the country’s examination system. (With PTI input)
