Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was transferred to VMMC and Safdarjung hospitals on Saturday morning, concluding a twenty-day unlimited fast he had been undertaking at Jantkar Mantar.
This transfer occurred less than 48 hours after the Ministry of Health of the Union placed three central government hospitals on alert and designated Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital as the primary center for any medical emergencies related to protesters.
Previously, on Thursday, the Ministry of Health instructed medical teams from RML, VMMC, and Safdarjung hospitals, as well as the Lady Hardinge Medical College, to conduct twice-daily examinations of Wangchuk and other hunger strikers. It was also mandated to have round-the-clock medical personnel, ensure readiness of emergency medical care, and provide daily health reports, which was done at the request of the Delhi Police due to concerns about the protesters' deteriorating health.
On Friday, a medical team from VMMC and Safdarjung hospitals examined Wangchuk and other protesters at the site of the demonstration. According to Wangchuk's medical team, by 9:30 AM on Friday, he showed signs of mild dehydration and weighed 56.55 kg, having lost 350 grams in the previous day when he entered the 20th day of the fast. His blood pressure was 108/68 mmHg, blood sugar level was 70 mg/dL, and pulse was 72 beats per minute. Doctors noted that he had entered the third stage of prolonged fasting, where organ involvement is possible, and was under continuous medical supervision.
In India's capital, Delhi, social activist Sonam Wangchuk was admitted to the hospital as his condition deteriorated on the twenty-first day of his hunger strike. He initiated this protest demanding the resignation of the federal Minister of Education.
Wangchuk, aged 59, has been on a hunger strike since June 28 in solidarity with the youth party Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). This party demands that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign due to examination paper leaks in May that affected millions of students.
Delhi police reported that Wangchuk was transferred to the hospital 'for necessary medical care' based on a court order following his health decline on Saturday. Previously, on Thursday, the Delhi High Court had directed authorities to closely monitor his health and intervene if necessary, in response to a petition calling for forced feeding as his health weakened.
Protesters from CJP announced plans to march to the Indian Parliament on July 20, when the monsoon season begins, to press for Pradhan's resignation and push for educational reforms. Wangchuk is a central figure in the CJP protests, lying on a mattress in the middle of the scene while his supporters and visitors move around the protest site.
Last year, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Wangchuk of inciting people through provocative statements during violent protests in Ladakh, the federal Himalayan territory to which he belongs. Wangchuk spent about six months in prison before being released in March of this year. He rejected these accusations, stating that the violent protests reflect dissatisfaction with the federal government.
On the third day of his fast, Wangchuk told Reuters that his hunger strike would last six weeks unless he died sooner. He noted: 'But I hope we won't have to go that far. A sensitive government in a democracy listens to the suffering of the people, and I hope they will take action.'
