In a dated video, Sonam Wangchuk urged protesters to come masked and hooded, while Smanla Norboo went so far as to threaten the stoning of the BJP office and openly provoked the masses. The so-called youth leaders Stanzin Chosphel, Jigmet Paljor, and Padma Stanzin who were instrumental in instigating the mob yesterday, were conspicuously absent today when violence erupted.

Who, then, bears responsibility for the tragic loss of young lives in today’s protest? What explanation will Sonam Wangchuk give to the grieving parents of these children, who were asked to cloak themselves in masks and hoodies? What justification will Smanla Norboo offer for fueling an anger that spiraled into deadly violence?

And what accountability will Stanzin Chosphel, Jigmet Paljor, and Padma Stanzin accept for inciting unrest yesterday, only to vanish when lives were lost today? This is not leadership — it is misguidance. When leaders incite and then retreat, leaving the youth to pay the ultimate price, their silence becomes an indictment in itself.

~ Amit Malviya, Member National Executive, BJP

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