As environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar entered its 20th day on Friday, People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti launched a sharp attack on the Centre, accusing it of displaying a "colonial mindset" by refusing to engage with protesting youth. Her remarks triggered an immediate response from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which dismissed the statement as a publicity stunt.
In a post on X, Mufti said the "distressing scenes" unfolding at Jantar Mantar, where Wangchuk is "risking his life to safeguard the future of our Gen Z", reminded her of the sacrifices made by India's freedom fighters. She said that although the British had left India, "the colonial mindset seems to endure," questioning how a democratically elected government could remain "so callous" that it refused to engage with the young protesters, whom she described as the generation that would shape India's future.
Reacting to her remarks, BJP leader Ranbir Singh Pathania said the statement reflected Mufti's "absolute ignorance and eccentricity." As quoted by NDTV, Pathania alleged that the PDP chief's comments appeared to be "a publicity stunt" aimed at attracting media attention.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had also expressed concern over Wangchuk's deteriorating health, urging the Centre to initiate dialogue with the protesting youth and persuade the activist to end his fast. Abdullah noted that Wangchuk had lost around nine kilograms during the hunger strike and criticised the government for not making any visible effort to engage with him.
Drawing a comparison with Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement during the UPA era, Abdullah said then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had deputed ministers to hold talks with Hazare. He maintained that Wangchuk's demands were "not unreasonable" and deserved a meaningful dialogue rather than silence.
