A day after praising India’s Gen-Z for embodying the values of Sanatana Dharma, activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, responded to online critics on Sunday, urging them to stop conflating religion with spirituality and insisting that no political party can claim exclusive ownership of Sanatana Dharma.
Spirituality vs Religion
In a series of posts on X, Angmo drew a clear line between religion and spirituality. “Religion seeks followers. Spirituality seeks transformation,” she wrote. She elaborated that religion is an institution that defines identity, authority, and control, whereas spirituality is a deeply personal awakening that manifests itself through every thought, word, and action.
Angmo directly addressed her detractors: “To all the trollers: Stop confusing religion with spirituality.”
Politics and Governance
She also linked this distinction to governance, stating that politics infused with religion divides, while politics guided by spirituality unites and aspires to the ideal of the philosopher-king—one who serves with wisdom, compassion, restraint, and truth.
Quoting philosopher Sri Aurobindo, Angmo wrote, “When it is said that India shall rise, it is the Sanatana Dharma that shall rise. India is rising for the sake of the Sanatana Dharma.” She emphasised that Sanatana Dharma is the bedrock of Indian civilisation and was never meant to be a narrow institutional religion, nor can any political party monopolise it. “It is a way of being, a path of inner evolution, and a lived pursuit of Truth,” she added.
Media Reforms
Angmo also called for reforms in the media ecosystem, arguing that educational reforms must be accompanied by changes in how information is consumed and disseminated. “Everyone is demanding educational reforms. Excellent idea. But can we begin by reforming the media first?” she posted. She noted that today’s biggest influencers are not teachers but TV studios, WhatsApp forwards, YouTube channels, and social media trolls, some of whom teach hatred before anything else.
Background of Protests
Her remarks came a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid mounting pressure over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. The 37-day-long agitation, led by the Cockroach Janata Party, ended on Saturday after the Centre accepted key demands of the protesters and Pradhan stepped down.
On Saturday, Angmo had praised the youth participating in the nationwide protests, writing, “If anyone has shown what it means for India to be a Vishwaguru, it is our Gen Z.” She highlighted that they have lived Sanatan Dharma, not preached it—showing courage without hate, strength without violence, and patriotism without blind obedience. She added that unlike many counterparts across the world, they have stood firmly against injustice without burning their own country down.
In the same post, she suggested that the Hindu nationalist party could learn a thing or two from these young Indians about Hinduism, nationalism, and what it truly means to be a Vishwaguru.
