The Haryana Police on Wednesday stopped a 15-member MP delegation from the India bloc from convening activist Sonu Bagchuk, who has been currently admitted in Medanta Hospital, Gurugram. The Haryana Police said as per the hospital authorities, only those in blood relation to Mr. Wangchuk were allowed to meet. Following this, the MPs decided to sit outside the hospital as they continued to argue with the police officials.Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite strike from, hunger strike from June 28, was admitted to Medanta hospital after The Delhi High Court ruled in favor of his wife’s plea.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Sonam Wangchuk said he would end his indefinite hunger strike if the Centre gave an equivocal assurance that no punitive or retaliatory action would be taken against the students and the youth who participated in the protests against the alleged examination irregularities on July 20, under the ‘sansad chalo’ march, held by the satirical political party, CJP.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has sought responses from the Centre and the Delhi Police on pleas alleging excessive use of force against protesters during the CJP-led march to the Parliament. A bench of Justice, Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, directed the authorities to preserve all relevant records in relation to the police action, including the CCTV footage and any videography.
“In view of the two PILs filed, the bench has given four weeks to the authorities to file their counter-affidavits”.
“Let a counter-affidavit be filed on behalf of the respondents within four weeks, the court ordered. In the meantime, we direct that all the relevant records in relation to the incident as mentioned in the writ petition, including the CCTV footage and videography, shall be preserved as per the SOP of the Delhi Police or the Union of India, it added.”
Senior advocates N. Hariharaan, Vikas Singh, and Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioners, contended that the police used excessive force, and brutality on the protesters, including women and children. Seeking an inquiry into the incident, the senior counsel asserted that the protesters were only exercising their fundamental right to peaceful protests on alleged irregularities in the NEET.
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju argued that the police were based on social media posts and were not maintainable.
The matter is next scheduled for September 11th.