Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike: Climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk has ruled out ending his indefinite hunger strike despite deteriorating health and appeals from political leaders and supporters,
saying breaking the fast without any response from the government would send the wrong message.
In a video message shared on X as his hunger strike entered Day 19, Wangchuk said that ending the protest now would signal that governments need not be held accountable.
“If I eat, what message will go? The message to the government will be that there is no need for accountability. Protesters sit and leave…” he said.
I’m Not in good shape but not so bad either…
Rather than asking me to break my fast please join me on 20th July… Peaceful March to the Parliament.#cockroachjanataparty #jantarmantar #cjpprotest #chalosansad pic.twitter.com/QZ6VyxVMAR— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) July 15, 2026
“I have received thousands of messages asking me to break my fast. Many senior politicians have come to me and spoken to me with love and concern.” Some have even approached the court seeking directions to make me eat, he said.
Seeking to ease concerns over his health, Wangchuk said medical examinations, including an ECG, showed no immediate danger despite weakness caused by prolonged fasting.
“My condition is not such that I will die in two-four days. The test results are quite normal for an 18-day fast. Yes, I am weak and my muscles are wasting away, but my heart and core are still functioning well,” he said, adding that he could continue the fast for several more days.
Wangchuk urged supporters instead to strengthen the Cockroach Janta Party’s proposed “Chalo Sansad” march on July 20, coinciding with the start of Parliament’s Monsoon Session. He appealed to students from schools, colleges and universities to participate, describing it as “a real lesson in political science and democracy.”
He appealed to people to register for the march through the campaign’s website or missed call initiative.
“Come in thousands on July 20. Together, we will hand over this issue to the Parliament. Then I will believe that it has gone into the right hands,” Wangchuk said.
The Cockroach Janta Party has been staging a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and has called for a Parliament march on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon session.
Wangchuk’s Health Under Focus
Wangchuk joined the protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on June 28 and has remained on an indefinite hunger strike since then. According to the latest medical update shared by protest organisers, he has lost over 8 kilograms during the fast.
His blood pressure was reported at 107/70 mmHg, while his blood glucose level dropped to 67 mg/dL. Tuesday marked the 17th day of his fast, while the broader agitation entered its 24th day.
Organisers have claimed Wangchuk is suffering from muscle loss, severe weakness and declining health but has refused repeated requests to end his fast.
Why Is Wangchuk Protesting?
Wangchuk joined the agitation in solidarity with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a youth-led movement demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET 2026 paper leak and irregularities in the CBSE’s on-screen marking system.
Support And Appeals
On Monday, writer Arundhati Roy and actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, along with other signatories, appealed to Wangchuk and fellow protesters to end their indefinite hunger strike while reiterating support for their demands.
In a joint statement, they praised the protesters’ determination but expressed concern over Wangchuk’s deteriorating health, urging him to preserve his strength for what they described as a “longer and more difficult struggle ahead.”
Veteran actor Zeenat Aman called on the Centre to hold talks with Wangchuk, saying India should not remain a silent spectator while one of its most respected minds puts his health at risk.
“We must not become a society that sits back and watches one of its greatest minds be sacrificed,” Aman wrote on Instagram.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav appealed to Wangchuk to end his fast, describing his life as invaluable to the country.
“We humbly request and earnestly appeal to Shri Sonam Wangchuk ji to break his fast. His life is invaluable to the entire world because it embodies the same commitment to humanity, the environment and democracy,” Yadav said in a post on X.
