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Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday met activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and urged him to end his fast in view of his deteriorating health.

Congress leader Pawan Khera visited climate activist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar on Friday in solidarity of his ongoing indefinite hunger strike to demand the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, current education minister over NEET paper leaks. (PTI)In a post on X after the meeting, Khera said peaceful protest is a constitutional right in a democracy and asserted that it is the government's duty to engage with citizens who undertake a fast to have their voices heard.

"In a democracy, peaceful protest is a constitutional right. When citizens undertake a fast to be heard, the duty of the government is to listen -- not look away. That is Raj Dharma," Khera said.

Drawing parallels with previous governments, the Congress leader said former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984 and the UPA government led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2011 had engaged with protesters despite differences.

"That is what Smt. Indira Gandhi Ji did in 1984. That is what Dr. Manmohan Singh's government did in 2011. They understood that a government's first responsibility is engagement, even in disagreement," he said.

Khera alleged that the present government has chosen "indifference" towards demands for education reforms raised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and protesters at Jantar Mantar.

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"This government, however, has chosen indifference. It has refused to engage with the demand for education reforms -- whether raised by Shri Rahul Gandhi and the NSUI and IYC workers across the country or the protesters at Jantar Mantar. Such indifference is not merely arrogant; it is callous and wholly unworthy of a democracy," he said.

Khera said that on behalf of the Congress party, he appealed to Wangchuk and the other protesters to call off their hunger strike due to concerns over their health.

"Today, on behalf of the Congress Party, I met Shri Sonam Wangchuk and the protesters at Jantar Mantar, and urged them to end their fast in light of their deteriorating health. A movement is not strengthened by losing its people. We live to fight another day," he said.

Extending support to the youth-led protest at the Jantar Mantar, Arvind Kejriwal demanded the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan and proposed the name of educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk for the next Union Education Minister.

The AAP convenor also urged the Centre to heed the demands of the demonstrators, warning that the NDA government might face the "2014-like fate" as the Congress-led UPA II.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Thursday observed that "the life of every citizen is precious and all efforts ought to be made by the government authorities to save the same," while directing that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's medical condition be clinically monitored on a daily basis during his ongoing hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.

The Court further directed that any medical intervention required, based on the opinion of government doctors, should be provided.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia passed the directions while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by petitioner Rakesh Kumar Sahni, who sought the Court's intervention over Wangchuk's deteriorating health.

The Court observed that the petition alleged his health had deteriorated due to the prolonged hunger strike.

Appearing virtually for the Centre and the Delhi Government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Court that Wangchuk's health was already being checked daily and that his medical parameters were being regularly monitored.

The Bench asked whether there was an established mechanism to monitor Wangchuk's health. In response, Mehta assured the Court that government doctors and medical experts were conducting regular examinations.

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