Activist Sonam Wangchuk said he was prepared to end his hunger strike if the government gave a clear assurance that no legal or punitive action would be taken against the young people protesting over the NEET paper leak. Without such a commitment, he said, he would have no option but to continue his fast indefinitely.
In a letter to Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, Wangchuk appealed for the government to protect the students who had joined the movement demanding accountability.
“I respectfully request an unequivocal assurance from the government that none of the young protesters will face any punitive or retaliatory legal action for participating in the movement,” he wrote.
He added that the students were only seeking a fair and accountable education system.
The 59-year-old activist has now entered Day 25 of his hunger strike at the private Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. He was taken there after being removed by police from the protest site at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, where he had been fasting for three weeks as part of the satirical political movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s campaign demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Despite being hospitalised, Wangchuk refused to end his fast.
In a video message shared from his hospital bed, Wangchuk said he had lost 11 kg during the fast.
“Mai abhi zinda hoon (I am still alive),” he said in Hindi, while praising the young protesters for remaining “peaceful” despite what he described as “provocations”.
Wangchuk also thanked Nadda and Singh for visiting him at Medanta on Tuesday night. According to his letter, the ministers assured him that the government would positively consider compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide following the paper leak. They also agreed to discuss the issue in Parliament to ensure accountability, including consideration of the demand for Pradhan’s resignation.
Referring to Monday’s march to Parliament, Wangchuk said it had remained “very peaceful” despite what he alleged were instances of police excesses.
He said around 65 Members of Parliament had appealed to him over the past few hours to end his fast and acknowledged that he wished to return to his work in education. However, he said he could not do so at the expense of the young people leading the campaign.
“If such an assurance is given, I shall end my fast with faith that the government has heard not only my appeal but also the aspirations of lakhs of young Indians,” he said, expressing hope that the police would not use further force against the protesters.
He reiterated the same message in his video, saying the future of the movement’s young participants remained his primary concern.
Wangchuk has been on hunger strike since 28 June, demanding government accountability over the NEET paper leak. He was shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta two days ago following allegations of negligence.
The activist had previously led the campaign for Ladakh’s statehood and was detained for nearly six months last year after a protest in Leh turned violent, leaving four people dead.
