Activist Sonam Wangchuk has said he will continue his hunger strike despite spending 26 days without food, insisting that the government must first guarantee that no force or retaliatory action will be taken against students participating in the ongoing education reform protests.
Speaking from a hospital bed, Wangchuk said he had lost 11 kg during the fast but remained determined to continue unless the Centre offered a clear assurance protecting protesters. “I am still alive,” he said in a video message, adding that his work remained important and that he wanted to end the fast only after such a commitment was made.
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Wangchuk, who has become the face of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led movement, was shifted to Medanta Hospital after being removed from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site. The hospital said he is stable and under the care of a multidisciplinary team in the intensive care unit.
The protests, demanding education reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over repeated examination paper leaks, have continued to draw thousands even after police action earlier this week. Wangchuk praised the restraint shown by students during the crackdown, saying their peaceful conduct strengthened his resolve to continue fasting.
Although Union Health Minister JP Nadda and several opposition leaders have urged Wangchuk to end his fast, he has declined, reiterating that student safety remains his immediate concern. The CJP has also maintained that its demand for Pradhan’s resignation is non-negotiable and vowed to continue the protest at Jantar Mantar until its demands are met.
