New Delhi: On August 15, 2025, Professor VK Tripathi, a 77-year-old Indian plasma physicist and activist, fasted at Rajghat to protest mass starvation in Gaza, distributing flyers to raise awareness. The former IIT Delhi professor, who founded the Sadbhav Mission in 1990 to combat communalism and promote education, faced significant harassment from police during his non-violent demonstration. His daughter, Rakhi Tripathi, shared the ordeal on Instagram (@rakhitripathi), stating, “Since morning, my father has been fasting at Rajghat for Gaza, handing out flyers under this heat. He’s tired, but unshaken. May our efforts and prayers reach every heart in Gaza.”
Around 6 pm, police confronted Tripathi, with Rakhi reporting, “My father, Prof VK Tripathi fasted all day at Rajghat for Gaza, handing out flyers. Around 6 pm many police came shouting and speaking with hatred, as if we were there to cause trouble. I can’t believe this is our police. So much hate and prejudice.” She noted that officers spoke in a “deeply communal tone,” with one inspector allegedly spewing “venom against humanity” after demanding cameras be turned off. Despite the hostility, Tripathi remained committed to his cause, rooted in his decades-long activism through Sadbhav Mission, which has previously addressed issues like the abrogation of Article 370 and the CAA.
