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.'
Sonam Wangchuk, a well-known social activist from India who is demanding the resignation of the education minister over leaked exam papers, entered his seventeenth day of fasting on Tuesday. His health condition has deteriorated, prompting opposition leaders to urge him to stop.
In solidarity with the founder of the youth party Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Wangchuk is holding a hunger strike in central Delhi. This party is organizing a sit-in protest, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan due to leaks that occurred in May and affected millions of students. This protest is viewed as a rare expression of dissent against the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Wangchuk, aged 59, was on a white mattress on stage before a small group of people. He gestured to a Reuters representative that he was too weak to speak. Previously, he stated that his fast could last six weeks if he did not die sooner. According to a CJP post on X, Wangchuk had lost 8.5 kg by Tuesday, and his health continues to decline.
Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of CJP, reported that they are trying to persuade Sonam Sir to end the hunger strike, but he remains resolute. Dipke also noted that Sonam Sir is asking to continue preparations for a march to Parliament scheduled for July 20, and expressed the opinion that the government wishes death upon Wangchuk and other fasters.
Several senior opposition leaders have also appealed to Wangchuk, an engineer turned activist and an inspirational figure in a popular Bollywood film, to conclude his fast. Akhilesh Yadav, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, stated on X that 'his life is priceless to the whole world, as it embodies a commitment to humanity and the environment as deep as its commitment to democracy.'
CJP positions itself as the representative of the 'lazy, unemployed, and chronically correct.' The rapid growth of the party online reflects the frustration among young Indians, who are estimated to constitute more than half of the country's population of 1.42 billion people. Although government data shows that the unemployment rate in India was 3.1 percent in 2025 for those aged 15 and older, among the 15–29 age group, it approached 10 percent and reached 13.6 percent in urban areas.
Young people are also outraged by the exam question leaks, which led to the cancellation of a medical exam taken by 2.3 million candidates. The exam was held later, last month.
Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress, Mahua Moitra, has appealed to climate activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his indefinite fast. Wangchuk's fast, which began against irregularities in exam conduct and the NEET exam material leak scandal, has reached its seventeenth day.
In a post on social media platform X, Moitra stated that Wangchuk has achieved his goal because his fast has united the country's youth in the fight for justice. She wrote: 'Sonam Sir, your fast has united the youth of this country in their war for justice. Your goal is achieved. The government does not care about your health or the health of millions of young people. But your health matters to us. Please end the fast and continue the fight.'
Earlier, on Monday, a group of prominent citizens, including writer Arundhati Roy, actors Nasiruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, and economist Jayati Ghosh, also called on the hunger strikers to cease their fast. They expressed full support for the protesters' demands regarding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In a joint statement, the signatories conveyed 'immense gratitude' to the protesters for leading the action against the government, but voiced serious concern over their deteriorating health.
The statement read: 'We welcome your sense of purpose, determination, and courage with which you are leading this movement for students and youth across the country.' Appealing to the protesters to conclude the fast, they added: 'We ask you to consider immediately ending this fast in the interest of a longer and more complex fight ahead. This battle is a marathon, not a sprint, and we need you, your strength, and your leadership in the coming days.'
According to organizers, Wangchuk has lost 8.2 kilograms since starting the fast. His latest medical readings showed a blood pressure of 107/70 mmHg and a blood glucose level of 67 mg/dL. Meanwhile, activist AISA Dipak was hospitalized at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after his health deteriorated due to a sixteen-day fast. An AISA statement indicated that Dipak had lost about 15 percent of his body weight, and his blood pressure had dropped to 80/40 mmHg in the last three days, prompting doctors to recommend immediate hospitalization due to organ damage risk.
At a press conference, CJP founder Abhijit Dipke raised the question of why the government has not initiated talks with the protesters despite the prolonged action and the worsening health of the fasters. He stated: 'I urge the government not to turn this into an ego battle, as human lives are at stake. Admitting a mistake is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of maturity, accountability, and willingness to change course. All we demand is accountability.'
When Wangchuk's fast entered its sixteenth day, comparisons were drawn to Anna Hazare's 12-day fast in support of the Jan Lokpal movement in 2011. Hazare initially started his fast on April 5, 2011, ending it four days after the then government formed a committee to examine his demands. In August 2011, Hazare started another fast that lasted 12 days. When asked why Wangchuk and others were still fasting while Hazare's 2011 fast ended after 12 days, Dipke replied: 'That was a different India... In today's India, human lives are not valued.'
He also criticized the government for showing no concern for the health of Wangchuk, a recipient of the Magsaysay Award, a renowned educator and innovator. The CJP action began on June 20, and Wangchuk joined the movement on June 28, remaining on an indefinite fast since then.
