NEW DELHI — Escalating his ongoing standoff with the central government, climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk entered the 19th day of his hunger strike, firmly rejecting appeals to end his fast.
Joining forces with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests over competitive exam irregularities, the 59-year-old activist warned that breaking his strike without a formal government response would send a dangerous message of state unaccountability to peaceful protesters.
The Stand: “What Message Will Go?”
In a late-night video statement issued on Instagram, Mr. Wangchuk addressed growing anxiety regarding his deteriorating physical condition while reaffirming his resolve:
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Rejecting Appeals: Despite receiving thousands of messages and direct appeals from senior politicians and legal petitions urging him to eat, Wangchuk questioned the utility of backing down. “If I eat, what will change and what message will go? The message will go to the government that there is no need to answer,” he stated.
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Health Status Report: Downplaying immediate medical alarms, Wangchuk noted that his vitals remain “quite normal for an 18-day fast.” While acknowledging profound muscle fatigue and weakness, he stated his heart and core remain stable.
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The July 20 Mobilization: Rather than receiving expressions of concern, the activist urged supporters, university students, and school children to converge in large numbers at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 20 to hand over the grievance dossier directly to Members of Parliament.
High Court Plea and Core Demands
The hunger strike has triggered urgent legal interventions in the national capital as the student-led agitation gains momentum:
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The Force-Feeding Petition: A plea filed in the Delhi High Court raised severe alarms, asserting that the activist might not survive the next 48 hours without intervention, and accused the administration of being “insensitive” while seeking directives to force-feed him.
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The Examination Gridlock: Led by Abhijit Dipke, the CJP-backed protest is demanding the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The agitation stems from systemic irregularities and multiple question paper leaks in high-stakes competitive tests, most notably the May 3 NEET-UG medical entrance exam.
