Sonam Wangchuk ends 26-day hunger strike amid student protests in India

Sonam Wangchuk has ended his hunger strike after 26 days, the Indian activist said Thursday on his X account.

The 59-year-old had been on a hunger strike since June 28 in solidarity with India's youth-led Cockroach movement.

For over a month, the student-led "Cockroach" protests have been calling for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign over a leaked medical exam papers scandal.

But the movement has since expanded beyond students' grievances over the country's education system. It has also drawn professionals and families while channeling broader frustration against the government.

"Just now in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Dr. Jitendra Singh and the senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh I finally broke my fast after 26 days," Wangchuk wrote.

He added that 65 members of parliament from different political parties had visited or otherwise urged him to break the fast.

Wanghuck, who was moved from the Jantar Mantar protest site by police on Saturday, said he had decided to end his hunger strike "after a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country."

"Meanwhile, I urge you all to stay very vigilant about not allowing violence of any kind anywhere," he added.

Days of protests, crackdowns

Earlier on Thursday, Wangchuk had offered to end his hunger strike if the government agreed not to harm student protesters.

Thursday's gathering at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site in New Delhi, came in defiance of new restrictions on protest actions, after overnight clashes saw police use tear gas and batons to disperse crowds.

It was the second such confrontation between Cockroach party activists and police this week.

Announcing the end of his hunger strike, Wangchuk said he was seeking assurances from the government, including compensation for families of students who committed suicide, and the resignation of India's education minister.

A Cockroach movement protest on Monday ended in violent clashes with police and dozens of arrests, after protesters defied police orders and marched toward parliament.

The opposition Congress Party called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Home Minister Amit Shah to step down over the police crackdown.