Centre responsible if anything happens to Wangchuk: TMC's Saket Gokhale

New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) The central government would be responsible "if anything happens" to Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for 18 days, Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale said on Wednesday in a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He also urged Pradhan to open a dialogue with the CJP protesters. In his letter, shared on X on Wednesday, Gokhale said Wangchuk is in an "extremely critical" condition and has lost more than eight kilograms since he began his hunger strike. "It is reported that the stress caused due to the NEET exam irregularities and paper leaks has led to 12 young students dying by suicide. We are talking here about innocent lives that have been lost because the system has let them down," he said. Addressing Pradhan, he said that the primary demand of Wangchuk and the protestors is "your resignation over the repeated irregularities in NEET and CBSE exams." "In a TV interview, you have also admitted and accepted your responsibility in this matter. In a democracy, the correct and moral course of action is for the responsible minister to tender a resignation after such failures. The fact that you have not even offered to resign has been the biggest grouse of lakhs of students and youth," the Rajya Sabha MP said. "Whether you resign or not is a decision that's best left for your own moral compass. However, it is a matter of immense shame that you have not even opened a line of communication with Sh Wangchuk to understand the concerns he is expressing on behalf of lakhs of students," he added. The TMC leader appealed to Pradhan to reach out to Wangchuk, a "true Gandhian" who has been agitating for lakhs of students. "That is the absolute least that you and the government can and must do." Gokhale said that while several opposition leaders have expressed solidarity with Wangchuk and fellow protesters, there has been a "shameful and pathetic silence from the Modi govt." "What would the govt lose by at least talking to him? It is wishful thinking to expect a resignation from a shameless govt. But the fact that they're ok even if Mr Wangchuk dies is a new low. He has lost over 8 kgs of weight in two weeks. His condition is extremely critical. "If anything happens to Mr Sonam Wangchuk, the Modi Govt & Dharmendra Pradhan must be held responsible for not even reaching out to him," he said. The appeal came a day after Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee spoke to Wangchuk over the phone to inquire about his health. According to Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, Banerjee urged Wangchuk to stay strong and extended her solidarity to the movement seeking justice for students. TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra also called Wangchuk on Tuesday to inquire about his health. Earlier, Moitra and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose visited Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with Wangchuk. Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike since June 28 as part of the CJP-led protest demanding Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in the NEET and CBSE examinations. On Tuesday, he completed 18 days of fasting. A "very weak" Wangchuk is under round-the-clock medical supervision. PTI AO VN VN