Sonam Wangchuk’s message to CJP leaders on political ambitions: Enter politics, but keep platform apolitical

Speaking during a podcast, Wangchuk said he believed some of the young leaders did have political aspirations and that there was nothing wrong with it.

‘They should have political ambitions’

“As far as people saying whether they have political ambitions or not, I think they do. I have assessed them quite carefully. They will certainly have political ambitions, and they should. There is nothing wrong with that,” he said.

However, Wangchuk emphasised that CJP, which was created as a platform rather than a political party, should preserve its neutrality and function as a pressure group.

“But the platform that you started not as a political party, you should preserve its sanctity,” he said.

According to Wangchuk, keeping the platform apolitical would allow it to have a greater impact in the future.

“I will not blame them for having political ambitions. I actually think that is a good thing. Good people have come forward, and after this experience, I hope that they will emerge as even more mature and capable leaders,” he said.

Wangchuk praises young leaders

Wangchuk also said his assessment of the young leaders involved in the movement had found no signs that they were susceptible to corruption.

“I did not see any signs that they were corruptible. From what I have assessed, and compared with the ordinary people I see, they are very good,” he said.

NEET protests and Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation

Led by the CJP, the protests over the NEET paper leak and related demands continued for weeks, with protesters demanding accountability from the government.

Former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned late last month, one of the key demands raised by the protesters.

The CJP had staged a month-long protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Wangchuk joined the agitation and began a hunger strike on June 28.

Weeks later, he was allegedly removed by Delhi Police and admitted to a government hospital. He was subsequently shifted to a private clinic following a court order.

The protests intensified after police used force against demonstrators during a Parliament march on July 20.

The police action triggered widespread criticism, with protests being reported in several major cities, including Mumbai, Kolkata and Patna.

Wangchuk reacts to Aamir Khan's comment

Meanwhile, Wangchuk also responded humorously to actor Aamir Khan's recent remarks dismissing the long-standing belief that his character in the blockbuster film 3 Idiots was inspired by the activist.

Referring to Khan's character from Ghajini, Wangchuk joked that the actor may have suffered from “short-term” memory loss after their meeting.

“Some videos later surfaced showing him (Aamir Khan) watching one of my speeches while dressed in the Ghajini outfit,” he said.

“Probably, he was so much immersed in the character of Ghajini that he suffered short-term memory loss and forgot about it within 15 seconds,” Wangchuk added.

“I am not surprised,” he said.

The ‘3 Idiots’ connection

Khan played Sanjay Singhania in the 2008 film Ghajini. The character suffers from short-term memory loss and is unable to retain new memories for long.

Wangchuk has long been associated with the inspiration behind the character of Phunsukh Wangdu, played by Aamir Khan in 3 Idiots. The film fraternity has widely regarded the character as being loosely based on the educationist and climate activist.