Protest march in Jodhpur demands release of Sonam Wangchuk

Jodhpur: A protest was held here Wednesday, demanding the release of social activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is currently lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail. Protesters attempting to march towards the jail were stopped by police well before the jail after extensive barricading was put up in surrounding areas. The demonstration and discussion meeting were jointly organised by the Sonam Wangchuk Release Forum and the Mahatma Gandhi Jeevan Darshan Samiti, Jodhpur. Under the leadership of coordinator Shivkaran Saini, activists raised slogans and condemned the Centre govt for alleged misuse of the National Security Act (NSA), demanding Wangchuk's immediate release.
Saini said Wangchuk has been in jail for 153 days, far from his native place, and alleged he was detained in an undemocratic and unlawful manner for raising his voice for his homeland. "We planned a peaceful protest at the gate of the jail, but we were stopped long before the prison and were not allowed near the jail," he said, adding that the protesters included intellectuals and social activists from various fields and professions. Later in the afternoon, various groups held a meeting at Mahaveer Udyan in front of the district collectorate. Participants raised slogans alleging that Wangchuk was kept in jail under govt pressure and demanded his early release. With multiple organisations calling for a protest outside the Central Jail, police remained on high alert. Barricades were put up near Mohanpura Pulia, blocking the road leading towards the jail. Routes leading to the DISCOM and the CMHO offices, located close to the jail, were also closed, causing inconvenience to employees, officials and the public, who were forced to wait for removal of the barricading. Several people questioned the police action, stating that the protest was planned outside the jail and other office routes should not have been blocked.