Sonam Wangchuk Sets Conditions to End Hunger Strike, Seeks Assurance Against Action on Student Protesters

New Delhi, July 2026 : Climate activist and education reform advocate Sonam Wangchuk has said he is willing to end his prolonged hunger strike, but only if the government provides a clear assurance that no legal or punitive action will be taken against students and youth who participated in protests over the alleged NEET paper leak and examination reforms.

In a letter addressed to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Minister of State Jitendra Singh, Wangchuk thanked the two ministers for visiting him at Medanta Hospital and appealing to him to call off his fast. However, he maintained that the movement was not about an individual but about safeguarding the future of millions of students, making it essential for the government to address their concerns before he ended his protest.

Wangchuk said the ministers had assured him during their meeting that the government would positively consider adequate compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the examination paper leak controversy. He also claimed they indicated that Parliament would hold a meaningful discussion on the issue, including questions of accountability and consideration of the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Referring to the nationwide “Chalo Sansad” march held on July 20, Wangchuk described the demonstrations as peaceful despite what he termed the “disproportionate use of force” by police against protesters. He said the restraint shown by students and young demonstrators reflected their faith in democratic institutions and hoped that this trust would not be further eroded through legal action or harassment.

“The entire nation and even the world witnessed the patience, discipline and democratic spirit shown by the young protesters,” Wangchuk wrote, expressing hope that participants in the movement would not face retaliatory measures for exercising their democratic rights.

The activist revealed that after the ministers’ visit, nearly 65 Members of Parliament from different political parties had contacted him, urging him to end his fast. According to Wangchuk, many parliamentarians reminded him that he still had an important role to play in education, environmental conservation and nation-building.

“I want to live. I want to return to my students, to education and to the work that has defined my life,” he wrote. “But I cannot do so at the cost of abandoning the young people whose future inspired this movement.”

Wangchuk therefore sought an unequivocal commitment from the government that no student or young protester would face criminal cases, punitive legal proceedings or any form of retaliation for participating in the protests.

He argued that the students’ only “offence” was raising their voices in favour of a transparent, accountable and fair education system. If such an assurance was provided, he said, he would immediately end his fast, believing that the government had responded to the aspirations of lakhs of young Indians.

However, Wangchuk warned that in the absence of such a guarantee, he would continue his hunger strike indefinitely. He also appealed to authorities to ensure there was no further use of excessive force against demonstrators.

“The future of our democracy depends not on how it treats those who agree with it, but on how it treats its young citizens when they dare to speak with courage, hope and conviction,” he wrote in the concluding part of his letter.

Wangchuk was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18 after Delhi Police shifted him from Jantar Mantar following 21 days of fasting in support of demands raised by the Cockroach Janta Party over examination reforms. His supporters alleged that he was being kept under illegal detention, an allegation denied by the authorities.

Subsequently, following directions from the Delhi High Court, Wangchuk was transferred to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, where he remains under medical supervision while continuing his indefinite fast. His protest has emerged as a focal point in the nationwide debate over examination integrity, student welfare and accountability in India’s education system.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)