Activist Sonam Wangchuk Ends Hunger Strike After Government Assurances

Wangchuk announced the end of his fast after Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram around midnight and conveyed the government's assurances.

NEW DELHI: Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Friday ended his 26-day indefinite hunger strike after receiving assurances from the Centre that key demands raised by students protesting over alleged examination irregularities would be addressed. In a post on X, Wangchuk said the government had assured that there would be a discussion in Parliament on accountability in the examination system, compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the recent NEET paper leak, and no cases against peaceful protesters. "END OF HUNGER... BEGINNING OF ACCOUNTABILITY...!" Wangchuk wrote. He added, "Sonam Wangchuk ends his fast after 26 days upon getting assurance from the government and members of parliament of all political parties that the issue of accountability in the failing examination system will be discussed on the floors of the Indian Parliament." "The government also gave assurance that families of suicide victims in the recent NEET examination paper leak will be given adequate compensation and that there will be no cases registered against the peacefully protesting students and youths," he said. Wangchuk announced the end of his fast after Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram around midnight and conveyed the government's assurances. "Just now in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda, Dr Jitendra Singh and the senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh, I finally broke my fast after 26 days," Wangchuk wrote. He said 65 Members of Parliament from different political parties had either visited him or signed letters urging him to end the fast. "This was done after long negotiations on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country. I will explain the conditions in detail in a separate video very soon. Meanwhile, I urge you all to stay very vigilant about not allowing violence of any kind anywhere," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Wangchuk's decision to end the fast. In a post on X, he said, "I urge Sonam ji to follow his daily routine as advised by the doctors and regain his weight as soon as possible." "I pray to the Almighty that Sonam ji remains healthy," the Prime Minister added. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been leading the protest at Jantar Mantar, welcomed Wangchuk's decision but said its agitation would continue until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. Wangchuk joined the CJP-led protest on June 28 and began an indefinite hunger strike in support of demands for accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms to the education system and Pradhan's resignation. During the fast, he lost around 11 kg and continued the protest from Medanta Hospital after being shifted there from Safdarjung Hospital following legal proceedings.