CJP protest day 21: Sonam Wangchuk says hunger has ‘stabilised’, warns against any attempt to remove him
He is fasting in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) agitation at Jantar Mantar and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the government’s accountability over the alleged examination irregularities, which has entered its 21st day.
Wangchuk told reporters, “Today is the 13th day of fasting. I feel good. My hunger has stabilized. The first days are difficult as the body gets used to fasting. There is a little fatigue, but other than that, I’m fine.”
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He said that he lost muscle along with fat during the long fast, but he continued to feel energetic.
“I lost muscle along with fat. My bones are starting to show, but I still feel energetic,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of the administration intervening if his health worsened, Wangchuk said he was at the protest site voluntarily and there was no reason for authorities to remove him. “I don’t know why they should try to remove me. I am here of my own free will and there is no threat to my life. If they remove me, it would be a violation of our rights,” he said.
“We are organizing a peaceful protest. The country and the world are monitoring the state of our democracy. This is not a favor. This is our right. We have the right to protest peacefully under Article 19 and I hope this right continues to be respected.”
Wangchuk said he was continuing the fast to support students demanding accountability for alleged exam irregularities and to press for early resolution of Ladakh-related issues.
“I stand here to support students for accountability on education-related issues. The Ladakh issue has also progressed through talks and now a conclusion needs to be reached. Monsoon Session is a very good time to finalize this,” he said.
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Referring to student suicides allegedly linked to the NEET-UG cancellation in May, Wangchuk said the protest aims to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.
“As you know, 20 students committed suicide. This number should not increase to 40 or 80 next year. We are sitting here to prevent such situations from happening,” he said.
He also said accepting Pradhan’s resignation before the Monsoon Session would help the government regain the confidence of the youth.
“They could become popular again among young people if they accept the resignation of the education minister. There is a lot of anger among young people now and this will hurt them politically. They should do this for their own benefit before the Parliament meets. If they do not accept it, we will do our part.”
CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka said Wangchuk had lost about 7.5 kilograms since he started fasting and his blood sugar levels remained consistently low.
Ranka said, “As the days pass, his energy decreases. He experiences severe weakness while walking and has difficulty speaking. His condition is deteriorating. Our medical team is monitoring him closely and we hope that the government will listen to us soon.” he said.
Ranka reiterated the organisation’s demands: Pradhan’s resignation and compensation of 1 million rupees to the families of students who died by suicide. He said the government had not initiated any dialogue with the protesters and that if there was no response, the CJP would continue with its proposal to march on Parliament on July 20.
HSK’s protest began on June 20 over allegations of exam irregularities.
Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28 and has been on an indefinite fast since then. The union on Thursday announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session, and said students, parents and citizens from across the country would be invited to participate.
