As activist Sonam Wangchuk continues his hunger strike from a hospital in Gurugram, Bollywood star Salman Khan has requested him to end his indefinite fast and offered him homemade food. A day after speaking about the student protest and admitting that he is glad to know that the kids of the country have come together for a better educational system, Salman has now urged them to go back home to their parents. (Also read: Salman Khan breaks silence on CJP protests with his own picture as a student: ‘It was such a peaceful movement’)
Latest Update
Wangchuk released a video from his hospital bed at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, hours after he wrote an open letter to Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, who met him for 45 minutes around midnight on Tuesday. “Ministers, opposition leaders with (a letter) signed by 65 MPs appealed to me to end the hunger strike and get back to serving the nation. I also want to do it; my work is important too. But I request the government not to use force against children,” he said in the video.
Details
Taking to his Instagram account on Thursday, Salman wrote, “The students are at top priority, educationally n security-wise, so they need not worry and have their parents worried for them. The Honorable Prime Minister has tweeted, and I am sure that he will take strict action against all those people who are responsible for this leak. So students, plz go back to your parents n homes.”
Addressing the hunger strike by Sonam Wangchuk, Salman added, “Sonam, it’s done, bro. Don’t extend this. Keep the spirit for another day if there be a need, which I doubt, n eat something. If u want, will send u food from home.”
Originally a climate activist based in Ladakh, Wangchuk sat on an indefinite fast on June 28 at Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the Cockroach Janata Party that was demanding Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over paper leaks. Delhi Police forcibly shifted him to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18 and later moved him to Medanta following a Delhi high court order on Tuesday, continuing his fast through the hospitalisation.
He said on Wednesday that he was ready to break his hunger strike if the government gave him assurances on key demands, including no legal action against agitators who mounted a massive protest that rocked Delhi earlier this week.
“I demand an assurance for no accusations or FIRs through which they can be threatened with police or jails. If I get the assurance soon, respecting your sentiments, I can break my fast today. But if I do not receive such assurance, unfortunately I will have to continue my hunger strike.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the government has decided to set up fast track courts to punish those responsible for paper leaks. “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth!”, he posted on his official X account.
“We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard. This continues our series of steps for safeguarding the interests of students. Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared,” he said.
