CJP protest day 21: Wangchuk says hunger has ‘stabilised’, warns against any attempt to remove him

Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said on Friday, July 9, 2026, that her hunger had “stabilized” as she entered the 13th day of her indefinite fast, and argued that her constitutional right should not be violated by trying to distance herself from the protest site.

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.

“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,” Mr. Wangchuk told reporters.

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.

Asked about the possibility of the administration intervening if his health worsened, Mr. 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 would try to dismiss me. I am here of my own volition and there is no danger to my life. If they dismiss 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.”

Mr 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.

Referring to student suicides allegedly linked to the NEET-UG cancellation in May, Mr Wangchuk said the protest was aimed at ensuring 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 Mr. Pradhan’s resignation before the Monsoon Session would help the government regain the confidence of the youth.

“If they accept the resignation of the education minister, they may become popular again among young people. There is a lot of anger among young people at the moment 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,” he said.

CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka said Mr Wangchuk had lost about 7.5kg since he started the fast and his blood sugar levels remained consistently low.

“As the days go by, his energy is decreasing. He has severe weakness when 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,” Mr. Ranka said.

Mr. Ranka reiterated the organisation’s demands: resignation of Pradhan and compensation of Rs 1 crore 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.

Mr. Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28 and has fasted indefinitely since then. On Thursday, July 9, 2026, the union 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.