kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata | July 17, 2026 : Leaders of the 'Kalighat Trinamool' staged a dharna on Friday at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly premises in support of social reformer and environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is currently on an indefinite hunger strike. The protest was held at the foot of the statue of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar inside the Assembly complex, where senior Trinamool Congress leaders urged the Central Government to immediately initiate discussions with Wangchuk and address the issues raised by him.

The demonstration witnessed the participation of several prominent Trinamool leaders, including Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Kunal Ghosh, Alifa Ahmed, Biman Banerjee, Ashok Deb, and other party functionaries. The leaders expressed concern over Wangchuk's prolonged hunger strike and appealed to the Centre to engage in constructive dialogue before his health deteriorates further.

The protest comes just days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke with Sonam Wangchuk over the phone and extended her support to his ongoing movement. According to Trinamool leaders, the Chief Minister has been closely monitoring the developments surrounding Wangchuk's protest and has consistently expressed solidarity with his cause.

Addressing the gathering during the dharna, Trinamool leaders criticized the Central Government for what they described as its continued inaction despite Wangchuk's prolonged fast. They claimed that his health has been steadily declining due to the indefinite hunger strike and alleged that the Centre has so far failed to take any meaningful initiative to resolve the issues he has raised.

Senior Trinamool leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said that Sonam Wangchuk is not associated with any political party and has dedicated his efforts to issues of national importance, particularly in the fields of education and environmental conservation. He stated that Wangchuk's movement is centered on public interest rather than political gain and warned that if any unfortunate incident were to occur because of the prolonged hunger strike, it would be a loss for the entire country. He therefore urged the Central Government to intervene immediately and begin discussions with the activist.

Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh reiterated that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had already extended her support to Wangchuk's movement and that, following her directions, a Trinamool delegation had recently met the activist to express the party's solidarity. He emphasized that merely sending a team of doctors to monitor Wangchuk's health would not be sufficient. According to Ghosh, the Central Government should constitute and dispatch an official delegation without delay to hold direct talks with Wangchuk and seriously consider the demands he has placed before the authorities.

The Trinamool leaders maintained that dialogue remains the most effective way to resolve the situation and appealed to the Union Government to act with urgency in view of Wangchuk's worsening health condition. They asserted that prolonged silence or administrative delay could further escalate concerns and called upon the Centre to engage in meaningful negotiations at the earliest.

The dharna at the Assembly premises reflected the Trinamool leadership's continued political and moral support for Sonam Wangchuk's ongoing agitation. Through the protest, the party sought to reinforce its demand that the Central Government initiate immediate discussions with the activist and work toward a peaceful and democratic resolution of the issues raised during his indefinite hunger strike.