Hunger Strike: Activist Sonam Wangchuk Loses 11 kg After 26‑Day Fast
Sonam Wangchuk, known as “Sonam sir”, has been on a 26‑day hunger strike in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and education reforms. During this period he shed 11 kg, yet he remains alive and continues his fast. He was forcibly removed from the protest at Jantar Mantar and taken to Medanta Hospital, where he was admitted to ICU but remains stable.
Despite repeated appeals by the ruling party, including a visit from Health Minister JP Nadda, Wangchuk has refused to end his fast unless the government guarantees no force or retaliation against students. He released a video from his hospital bed stating that he would not end the strike without such assurance, accusing the government of a brutal crackdown on protesters.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth‑led movement inspired by a chief justice’s remark, has gathered tens of thousands in Delhi. Protesters held a sit‑in at Jantar Mantar, even as police used batons and tear gas, injuring dozens. Forty protestor and 118 police officers were injured in clashes after a march to parliament was met with a brutal police response.
The movement has become a major challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Modi sent a brief statement on X, acknowledging the welfare of youth and announcing fast‑track courts to punish leaks of public exams. However, activists and opposition leaders press for more substantive action. The protests and Wangchuk’s fast highlight growing discontent among students surrounding exam leak scandals and governance transparency.
With Delhi’s metro stations temporarily closed and demands for political accountability still mounting, the situation remains tense. Wangchuk’s health is monitored closely while the protesters refuse to leave the occupied area. The next steps will determine whether the movement can achieve its objectives or whether the government will push back harder.
