Sonam Wangchuk: Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has stretched into its 19th day, with the education reform activist reporting a significant drop in weight and visibly weakened health. Rather than calling off his fast despite mounting appeals, Wangchuk used social media to redirect attention toward the Cockroach Janta Party’s planned march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session.
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What the protest is demanding
The CJP, a youth-led movement, has been camped at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in NEET-UG and other national examinations. Wangchuk joined the sit-in to support students seeking greater accountability and transparency in the examination system, and his hunger strike began on June 28.
Arundhati Roy and eminent citizens weigh in
As concern over Wangchuk’s condition grew, writer Arundhati Roy joined actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, economist Jayati Ghosh, and several academics and activists in issuing a joint statement. The group backed the protesters’ core demand while pushing for an end to the fast.
Opposition leaders have also weighed in, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AAP‘s Arvind Kejriwal, and TMC MP Mahua Moitra separately appealing to Wangchuk to end his strike while reaffirming support for the students’ demands. An AAP delegation led by former Delhi chief minister Atishi visited the protest site earlier in the campaign.
The numbers behind the growing concern
- Wangchuk has lost close to 9 kilograms since beginning his fast on June 28
- His recent medical readings showed a blood pressure of around 107/70 mmHg and blood glucose near 67 mg/dL
Sonam Wangchuk: CJP organisers say the July 20 march to Parliament is intended to mobilise the wider public around the protest’s demands, with a missed-call campaign and an “I Support Sonam” social media push already underway.
