TMC MP Kirti Azad Slams Wangchuk's Removal From Jantar Mantar

New Delhi, July 19: Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad on Sunday said the forced removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site would become a "major political issue", accusing the BJP-led Centre of suppressing democratic dissent and neglecting issues related to education. Drawing comparisons with the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare, Azad alleged that the BJP has adopted a different stand on protests after coming to power. “This will definitely become a major issue because when Anna Hazare was protesting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said people were not being allowed to protest, but today he remains silent," Azad told PTI videos. The TMC leader criticised the prime minister, alleging that he remained abroad for long periods, and accused the BJP, the RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) of failing to govern effectively. Claiming that the central government had little concern for education and healthcare, Azad alleged that thousands of government schools had been shut and linked the issue to the controversy surrounding the NEET examination. "When thousands of government schools are being shut and over one lakh have already closed, it shows they have no concern for issues like NEET," he said. The Trinamool Congress has been among the first to extend support to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) agitation, with its MPs Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad backing the online movement. Moitra and Sagarika Ghose had also visited the protest site at Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with Wangchuk and the protesters, while former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to him over the phone. The TMC has also announced that its MPs will participate in the CJP's proposed march to Parliament on Monday, the opening day of the Monsoon session, in support of the outfit's demands. Azad's remarks come amid growing backing from the Opposition for Wangchuk's agitation, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticising the activist's removal from Jantar Mantar and accusing the Centre of stifling peaceful protest.