Has CJP's dancing Dahiya failed to impress a fasting Sonam Wangchuk?

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 13, 2026 08:30 IST

For artists, an empty stage is an invitation to perform. The sprawling platform setup at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar for the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation has become more than just a site of sloganeering. It has turned into a stage for music and dance. Among those making the most of it is CJP spokesperson Vijeta Dahiya, whose energetic dance performances have become one of the most talked about aspects of the protest.

"I want to be the world's first dancing activist," Dahiya told India Today Digital with a chuckle, insisting that dance is not a distraction from protest but a form of resistance in itself. "I'm using dance as a tool to protest against Brahmanvad," he added.

But while Dahiya dances before addressing the gathering, just a few metres away, climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk continues his indefinite hunger strike, which is entering its 15th day.

Some join Dahiya on the stage while other participants dance below. However, a fasting Wangchuk seems to be numb to the efforts.

Wangchuk isn't alone. History is filled with towering personalities who frown upon dance. Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy reportedly dismissed it as a frivolous pursuit, while English statesman Oliver Cromwell viewed dancing and theatre with suspicion.

Videos from the protest site show the activist from Ladakh maintaining a subtle silence as Dahiya grooves to music on stage, showing little sign of joining in or even acknowledging the performances. But, according to Dahiya, the dance performances at the protest site are not bothering him. Rather, "Wangchuk motivates them," he said.

JANTAR MANTAR DANCE CLIPS SHIFT SPOTLIGHT FROM DIPKE TO DAHIYA

The CJP protest drew some flak last week after party founder Abhijeet Dipke was seen feasting on kachoris and noodles at the protest site while Wangchuk continued his indefinite fast. Social media users questioned the optics of feasting alongside someone on a hunger strike.

Good or bad, the attention has now shifted to Vijeta Dahiya and his dancing.

Videos of Dahiya dancing on stage before addressing gatherings have been circulating widely on social media, with critics questioning whether a protest accompanied by music and dancing can be taken seriously when Wangchuk is fasting nearby.

Adding to the scrutiny, a music video released by Dahiya in 2017 resurfaced online after the protest gained attention. Some social media users accused him of portraying Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati in a derogatory manner, further fuelling criticism against him.

Dahiya, speaking to India Today Digital, explained what he was trying to achieve through dancing on a protest stage.

SONAM SIR ENJOYS OUR DANCE, SAYS VIJETA DAHIYA

Rejecting the criticism, Vijeta Dahiya insisted that his performances have never bothered Sonam Wangchuk.

"People are saying that while Sonam sir is on an indefinite hunger strike, I am dancing. But Sonam sir also enjoys our dance," Dahiya told India Today Digital.

"Sonam sir motivates us and has never been annoyed by it," he added.

Dahiya maintained that art has always played a role in people's movements. "Art unites people and that is exactly what I am doing," he said.

Dahiya isn't wrong. Protest movements and rebellions have used art like songs, theatre and paintings to attract and inspire the masses. Even in India, the Left students' outfits still use street theatres and songs for their protests, playing dafli. Members of SFI and AISA can be seen at the CJP protest site at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

DANCE IS A TOOL FOR MY PROTEST AGAINST BRAHMANVAD: VIJETA DAHIYA

Dahiya said the performances at Jantar Mantar were never planned. According to him, one day music began playing over the speakers and protesters spontaneously started dancing.

"What is the relation between my dancing and someone's hunger strike?" Dahiya asked.

For Dahiya, the dance performances are political symbolism and not just a mere art form.

"I am challenging conventional methods. Historically, dance was considered an art form pursued by lower-caste communities. Through dance, I am breaking that convention," Dahiya said.

"I'm using dance as a tool to protest against Brahmanvad," he added while speaking to India Today Digital.

He argued that every movement needed hope as much as anger. "How can a movement that curtails joy deliver freedom to anyone?" Dahiya asked, adding that dance helps keep the atmosphere at the protest site positive.

Dahiya also accused those criticising the performances of carrying a "social mindset shaped by caste hierarchy".

"Dance and sadness cannot stay in the same place. Dance gives us positive energy. It is a form of meditation for us," Dahiya said, explaining the multiple reasons behind his dancing on a protest stage.

EVEN BHAGAT SINGH LOVED SINGING AND ART, SAYS VIJETA DAHIYA

One thing is more than visible in the dance clips that have gone viral. Vijeta Dahiya dances like a natural, despite he never receiving formal training.

Dahiya said he performed purely out of passion. "I'm not a professional dancer. I dance because I love it," he said.

Drawing a historical parallel, he argued that India's freedom movement was never devoid of art.

"Even Bhagat Singh loved music, singing and acting in plays," Dahiya told India Today Digital, and added that art has always been a powerful medium for mobilising people.

"I want everyone to dance. Even my critics should dance," he said.

Every protest finds its defining image. For this one, it is not just Sonam Wangchuk seated in silent resolve, but also Vijeta Dahiya dancing on the very same stage. One believes sacrifice speaks the loudest, the other believes joy can be a form of resistance. Dahiya, in some ways, has changed the nature of protests at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar. However, between fasting and footwork lies the question of how the agitation will go ahead and how it will be remembered.

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