Shortly after the Delhi High Court said that “government action to move Sonam Wangchuk to hospital not arbitrary,” his partner, Dr Gitanjali Angmo said that the health ‘narrative’ is a ‘charade’. “If you were truly so concerned about his health, why did you send police personnel in plainclothes? Why did you so ruthlessly pick him up, put him on a stretcher, and take him away? If you were genuinely concerned about his health—and I want to say this without mincing words—then this whole narrative about health concerns is nothing but a charade. They were simply afraid that if Sonam set out on his march, hundreds of thousands of people would join him, not just in Delhi, but across the entire country, and they were trying to prevent that,” she said.
In an urgent hearing on Sunday the Delhi High Court rejected plea filed by wife of Sonam Wanghchuk seeking his transfer to a private hospital alleging a “lack of transparency” because Safdarjung Hospital refused to share Wangchuk’s medical reports with her. Terming the police intervention as “not arbitrary”, the court refused to provide interim relief. The urgent hearing was convened following a request by Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo early this morning, with her alleging that she had lost trust in the hospital over a lack of transparency.
After nearly a 40-minute hearing, Justice Mini Pushkarna stated that Wangchuk has been administered only oral interventions with his consent, which were deemed necessary in light of his “deteriorating” condition. Justice Pushkarna observed, “It cannot be said that any force is being used against Wangchuk, or his bodily autonomy is being violated in any manner.” The court maintained that Wangchuk was not under detention and a free citizen. However, since the activist himself didn’t check himself into a facility in view of his deteriorating health, the government had to intervene relying on the high court’s July 16 order that observed that “life is precious and should be taken care of”.
The court also noted that unlimited access had been given to Angmo and Wangchuk’s other family members.
Representing Angmo, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said she wanted him to be shifted to Medanta hospital. “Whatever is to be done will have to be done by a doctor of my choice. It is my body, and I decide where I go,” he told the court. The government, represented by Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, submitted that there will be huge consequences if anything happens to Wangchuk. The government further requested the court to pass an order to make them decision makers in order to save Wangchuk’s life. In response the court maintained that the team treating him will take the ultimate call.
”The educationist refused to take any IV even as an additional professor in the department of emergency medicine informed the court that he “needs to take vitamins”, starting with thymine. “We cannot give him that since he is not allowing IV access,” added the doctor, Dr Akshay Kumar of AIIMS, New Delhi.
Additionally, a status report has been ordered to be filed until the next hearing which is scheduled on July 24.
Wangchuk had been on hunger strike since June 28, as part of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s protest against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak.
His wife will lead a march to Parliament tomorrow to raise their demands.