I do not subscribe to political parties, nor do I measure my convictions by ideological labels. My faith has always been in principles, because governments change, parties change, and leaders change — but principles must endure.
That is why, when I look at Sonam Wangchuk, I do not merely see a man on a protest. I see a citizen willing to bear personal sacrifice for a question that every democracy must be prepared to answer: Can those entrusted with power remain accountable to the people who entrusted it to them?
What concerns me is not only the response to his protest, but the nature of the support surrounding it. Social media is filled with people saying, "I stand with Sonam Wangchuk." Yet a statement without conviction is only performance. A post, a story, or a hashtag is effortless. Living by the principles behind those words is not.
Supporting a person is simple. Standing for the values that person is willing to suffer for is far more difficult.
If transparency matters, demand it consistently. If accountability matters, ask difficult questions regardless of who governs. If students deserve fairness, then defend fairness not when it is convenient or popular, but because justice requires consistency. A democracy does not weaken when its citizens ask questions; it weakens when they stop asking them.
Citizenship is not measured by visibility on social media. It is measured by informed participation, intellectual honesty, peaceful dissent, and the courage to hold every institution accountable. A government that truly serves its people should never fear questions. Accountability is not opposition to democracy — it is the very mechanism that keeps democracy alive.
Whether one agrees with every position Sonam Wangchuk holds is beside the point. What deserves respect is the willingness to exchange personal comfort for public conviction. History has repeatedly shown that progress is rarely carried forward by those seeking applause; it is carried forward by those prepared to endure discomfort in defence of an idea.
The question, therefore, is not whether we stand with Sonam Wangchuk.
The question is whether we are willing to stand for the principles we so readily applaud in others.