Students, youth, and parents held a demonstration at Balgandharva Chowk in support of Sonam Wangchuk on Sunday. (Express Photo By Pavan Khengre)By Shrijita Acharyya & Saniya SinhaSupporters of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Sunday organised a protest at Balgandharva Chowk in Pune expressing solidarity with activist Sonam Wangchuk, who been on a hunger strike in New Delhi since June 28, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. On Saturday, Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung hospital in Delhi from the protest site and put under medical supervision.The protest in Pune called for reforms in the education system and demanded the resignation of Pradhan, with participants alleging a lack of accountability in handling issues affecting students.For Sachin Chaudhary, a 19 year-old who was among the protesters, the protest was about protecting students’ faith in the education system.“Students dedicate years of their lives to building their future. They deserve an education system that is fair, transparent and trustworthy. We believe Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should resign because students across the country deserve better leadership and meaningful reforms in education,” he said.Standing nearby, Rekha Chaudhary, 23, said her decision to join the protest was shaped by a lesson she had carried with her since childhood. “When I was in Class 8, one of my teachers told us that India has one of the largest youth populations in the world and that our generation has the potential to give the country a strong presence globally. That stayed with me all these years. Today, I feel we are moving in the opposite direction. Things can go wrong in any system, but what matters is whether those in power acknowledge their mistakes and act on them. Governments earn public trust by accepting responsibility, not avoiding it,” she said.For Vira Mahajan, 21, the protest was about ensuring that the movement was not seen as one limited to the national capital. “This isn’t only Delhi’s issue. Every student is affected by the education system. We wanted to show that people in Pune stand in solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk and that this conversation belongs to the entire country,” she said.Story continues below this adVedant Rathore, 23, said young people needed to take ownership of the future they wanted to build. “History has shown us that rights are never simply handed over. They are earned when people come together and demand change. Students have every reason to speak up—not just for education reforms, but for a future with better opportunities,” he said.The demonstration later turned tense after police intervened to disperse the gathering, leading to commotion at the site.Several protesters were detained and taken away in police vehicles as officers cleared the protest venue. Police, however, maintained that the action was taken after protesters allegedly refused to comply with instructions and was necessary to maintain law and order.Among those at the protest was Minu Sadwedkar, 56, who has spent the last 30 years as an educator. Having met Wangchuk personally during his work in education, she said his commitment inspired her to join the demonstration. “I have been a teacher for three decades, and I have seen how education shapes generations. I have also seen Sonam Wangchuk’s dedication to improving learning for young people. As educators, we cannot remain silent when students are losing faith in the system,” she said.Story continues below this adCalling the protest an exercise in democratic participation, Romila Yadav, 25, said, “Remaining silentwhen people are raising genuine concerns only allows those concerns to be overlooked. We are here to peacefully express our concerns and ask for dialogue and meaningful action. Democracy doesn’t end with casting a vote; it also means speaking up when something deserves attention.”