“I’m not in good shape but not so bad either.” That's what a frail-looking Sonam Wangchuk, who entered the 19th day of his indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on Thursday, demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over irregularities in the NEET examination, said in a video message posted late last night.
According to the latest medical bulletin issued by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Wangchuk, 59, is "very weak" and under 24-hour medical vigilance. His weight has dropped to 57.15 kg, down 400 grams in the past 24 hours and nearly 8.9 kg since he began fasting.
His blood pressure was recorded at 105/76 mmHg, blood sugar at 80 mg/dL, oxygen saturation at 97%, while doctors said he remained conscious and mentally alert but requires continuous monitoring.
In the video message, Wangchuk also urged supporters not to ask him to end his fast but instead join the organisation's planned "Chalo Sansad" march to Parliament on July 20. "Rather than asking me to break my fast, please join me on 20th July... Peaceful March to the Parliament," he said.
Wangchuk is not alone in the protest. Several others, including members of student organisations, are also on hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. At a separate stage, All India Students' Association (AISA) leaders Neha, Manish and Aameen continued their fast despite their worsening health. AISA said that Neha has lost 5.85 kg during the fast, while Manish and Aameen have lost 8.2 kg and 8.3 kg, respectively, with all three recording low blood sugar levels.
The student outfit also said JNUSU joint secretary Danish, JNU Barak Hostel president Hrishikesh and Delhi University student leader Deepak have been hospitalised after their health deteriorated during the protest.
The protest has also drawn political support, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday made an emotional appeal to Wangchuk to end his fast, saying it had already "awakened the conscience of the nation" and that the fight for students' issues should now move to Parliament.
"To Shri Sonam Wangchuk-ji, my heartfelt appeal: please end your fast. You have awakened the conscience of the nation; that is what a fast is meant to do. India needs your voice for the long road ahead," Tharoor wrote in an open letter.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also urged Wangchuk to end his fast, while actor Zeenat Aman appealed to the government to initiate dialogue.
Former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela and actor Swara Bhaskar also visited the protest site at Jantar Mantar to express solidarity.
Meanwhile, a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking urgent medical intervention for Wangchuk, urging the Centre and the Delhi government to shift him to a hospital and provide necessary medical treatment, including force-feeding if required, citing concerns over his deteriorating health.
On Monday, more than 1,800 artistes, academics, writers and social activists issued an open letter backing the protesters' demands while urging them to end their indefinite hunger strike amid growing concerns over their deteriorating health.
The signatories, including actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, writer Arundhati Roy, economist Jean Drze, academic Jayati Ghosh, scholar Nivedita Menon and academic Anuradha Chenoy, said they fully supported the demand for Pradhan's resignation but appealed to the protesters to preserve their strength for a "longer and more difficult struggle" ahead.
The protest at Jantar Mantar was launched by CJP, an online satirical collective, on June 19. Led by its founder Abhijeet Dipke, the CJP has called for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, holding him accountable for irregularities in the NEET examination, including the paper leak that triggered widespread controversy and re-test.
Stepping up its campaign, the CJP has also announced a one-day mass hunger strike and renewed its appeal for citizens to join the July 20 Parliament march, demanding a transparent examination system, accountability for repeated paper leaks and the removal of the education minister.
"Until the resignation happens, we'll stand firm. 20 July, march to Parliament," the organisation said in a post on X.
Furthermore, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday accused the Centre of remaining silent despite Wangchuk's deteriorating health.
"Day 18 of Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike. The man who chose to put his own life on the line to seek justice for students who died by suicide has received nothing but silence from the government. The government is not just unaccountable; it is also cruel," Dipke said.
Questioning the Centre's response, Dipke said the real issues were why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was refusing to engage in dialogue and why Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had not been held accountable.
"Instead of asking why opposition leaders haven't supported CJP, or why every CJP team member isn't on a hunger strike alongside Sonam sir, ask the questions that actually matter. Why is the Prime Minister refusing to engage in a dialogue? Why is the Education Minister still not being held accountable?" he said.
The CJP also appealed to supporters to change their social media display pictures as a mark of solidarity with Wangchuk and claimed that more than 1.3 lakh people have registered support through its missed-call campaign for the Parliament march.
