Scientist and activist Sonam Wangchuk received permission from the Delhi High Court on Tuesday to be transferred from Safdarjung Hospital to a private clinic. This decision was made against the backdrop of his prolonged hunger strike, which is linked to the alleged leak of NEET examination materials.
The court's decision followed an appeal by Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, against a single judge's order that denied his transfer from Safdarjung Hospital. During the hearings, the Centre informed the court that it had 'no objections' to Wangchuk's transfer to Medanta Hospital but requested that constant medical supervision be ensured.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that 'the Centre has no objection to Sonam Wangchuk being transferred to Medanta Hospital,' but strongly recommended that Wangchuk 'remain under constant medical observation and not be discharged except upon the recommendation of Medanta doctors.' The court also proposed transferring Wangchuk along with all his medical documentation from Safdarjung Hospital and announced that the formal order would be issued after lunch.
On Tuesday, Wangchuk entered his twenty-fourth day of continuous hunger strike. The 'Cockroach Janta Party' (CJP) intensified its protest against the Centre over the NEET material leak and renewed its demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Protesters also returned to Jantar Mantar in Delhi, where the sit-in demonstration continued for another day. CJP founder Abhijit Dipke joined the group at the protest site, promising to continue his campaign until the demands are met.
Scientist and activist Sonam Wangchuk began his twenty-fourth day of continuous hunger strike on Tuesday. This occurred amid escalating protests by the Cockroach Janta Party against the Central Government regarding the leak of NEET examination materials and the renewed demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
A representative of CJP, Ashutosh Ranka, stated that Wangchuk remains firm in his indefinite fast, which the group believes is aimed at holding people accountable for the NEET incident. In an X post, Ranka wrote: 'Sonam Wangchuk is on day 24 of his hunger strike. He is still fighting for us. We will not stop. Pradhan must be removed.'
In addition to Wangchuk, other demonstrators resumed sit-in protests at Janthar Mantar in Delhi, continuing their campaign and insisting on Pradhan's resignation. CJP founder Abhijit Dipke also participated in the demonstration alongside party members.
The day before, protesters marched to Parliament, gathering a large number of supporters. They were joined by notable figures such as actors Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj, as well as MPs Dimple Yadav and Chandrashekhar Azad. However, the protest was accompanied by allegations of police overreach. CJP accused the Delhi Police of using force against protesters, claiming that Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali, along with Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj, were among those injured during the march.
Nevertheless, the Delhi Police rejected these accusations, calling the social media reports false and misleading.
