As his indefinite hunger strike enters its 20th critical day, acclaimed educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has firmly rejected calls to end his fast. Despite severe medical warnings regarding potential organ damage, the 59-year-old activist has vowed to survive until at least July 20 to lead a planned mass mobilization toward Parliament.
The hunger strike is part of an ongoing agitation spearheaded by the satirical youth-led group, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following widespread outrage over the alleged 2026 NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
A Grim Medical Outlook
Medical professionals attending to Wangchuk at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site issued an alarming health bulletin, warning that the fast has entered a life-threatening phase. Having consumed only water since the fast began, Wangchuk has lost approximately 9 kilograms.
Dr. Satish Lamba, who has been regularly monitoring the activist’s vitals, stated that Wangchuk’s body has exhausted its primary glucose and fat reserves and has begun breaking down muscle mass. Medical experts caution that if the strike continues without clinical intervention, the body may begin consuming vital internal organs next.
Despite his physical emaciation, Wangchuk remained high-spirited and resolute while addressing his gathered supporters.
“I am weak from the outside but very strong inside,” Wangchuk said. “I will stay alive till July 20 at any cost. If you don’t come and July 20 is not successful, I will come back as a ghost.”
The March to Parliament
The activist emphasized that calling off the hunger strike without receiving a direct, formal response from the government would send a message of political defeat to the millions of students affected by the national examination crisis. Instead, the leadership is redirecting its focus toward a large-scale, peaceful march to Parliament scheduled for July 20, coinciding with the commencement of the Monsoon Session.
Organizers from the Cockroach Janta Party claim that over 1.3 lakh people have registered online or via mobile campaigns to participate in the “Chalo Sansad” rally.
The movement has rapidly gained political and cultural traction. High-profile opposition leaders—including AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee—have visited the site or issued statements of solidarity, alongside prominent members of civil society and the film industry.
Judicial Intervention
Amidst escalating concern over the activist’s deteriorating condition, the matter reached the Delhi High Court. The court has officially directed the Union and Delhi governments to ensure strict daily medical monitoring of Wangchuk’s health and to provide immediate clinical assistance should his condition deteriorate any further.
While the legal and health standoffs intensify, the CJP protest enters its fourth consecutive week, setting up July 20 as a high-stakes benchmark for both the government and the demonstrating student community.
