Mumbai, July 21, 2026
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Central Government over the forcible hospitalisation of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and the violent lathi-charge on protesting students.
Taking to X, Thackeray condemned the government’s heavy-handed response, remarking, “This government itself has become mentally ill and needs to be admitted to a hospital.”
Expressing displeasure over the action against peaceful demonstrators, the MNS chief said the Central Government forcibly picked up Wangchuk and admitted him to a hospital. He added that the ruthless lathi-charge on protestors showed the government took pride in crushing legitimate protests.
Reiterating his demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Thackeray questioned the government’s reluctance.
“Who is Dharmendra Pradhan that accepting his resignation feels like a failure to the government? The outrage of the nation’s students is far more important than the ego of Dharmendra Pradhan and the government,” he said. He asked why the Prime Minister, who conducts ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha,’ was not engaging directly with students on the streets.
Criticising the ruling dispensation’s attitude toward grievances and the opposition, Thackeray asserted that the administration had developed an arrogant mindset.
He alleged that the ruling party believed it had won the elections through central agencies and EVMs rather than through public votes.
Drawing parallels with historical and global student movements, Thackeray cited the Arab Spring (2011), the Sri Lankan crisis (2022), anti-government protests in Nepal, and Jayaprakash Narayan’s ‘Sampoorna Kranti’ (Total Revolution) in India, noting that student unrest has historically triggered major political shifts.
“This movement isn’t restricted to just one exam. It is an outburst of public despair against inflation, contract culture, suffocating urban development, and broader governance failures,” he said.
He added that the courage shown by students stemmed from deep despair over the state of affairs in the country, warning that power gained through historic movements would slip away if the government relied on brutality rather than wisdom.
Reaffirming his party’s stance against centralised entrance exams like NEET, Thackeray urged the administration to show wisdom rather than force.
“An incompetent minister must resign, and complete transparency must be brought into examinations. There is no bravery in ruthlessly crushing protests; true wisdom lies in resolving them through dialogue. MNS extends its full support to these students and their demands,” he noted.(Agency)
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