India, July 17 -- Forty-two years ago, an Indian prime minister flew into Leh to talk a Ladakhi leader out of starving himself over a demand for more rights for the people there. This week, as his son fasted for a cause of his own, it was that memory the Congress reached for, though it's no longer in power.

The current BJP-led government has so far been indifferent at best towards the Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar, where Sonam Wangchuk is on hunger strike for 20 days and counting.

Congress MP and spokesperson Pawan Khera became the official party face to physically visit the protest site on Friday, July 17, meeting Wangchuk and other Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members such as founder Abhijeet Dipke, at their sit-in ove...