Social activist Sonam Wangchuk on Friday asked his critics if he still needed to “prove” his sincerity after fasting for 26 days, strongly denying claims that he had struck a “deal” with the government to end his hunger strike.
Event Context
In a video message shared on social media, Wangchuk said he was upset over claims that he had compromised with the government. Sharing the video on X, he wrote, “AFTER 26 DAYS OF HUNGER DO I NEED TO PROVE MY SINCERITY !!!” He urged people to watch his full 22-minute YouTube video before drawing conclusions and to help spread his message.
“Do I need character certificate after 26 days of hunger strike?” he wrote on the video.
In the video, Wangchuk said, “Physically, I had to fight and go through another strike, lying on the floor. The power that was in me for 22 days, that forced me out of there.”
He added, “I am saying with grief, but since morning people have been calling me or showing posts, saying that you are being questioned.”
Responding to the “deal” allegations, he questioned why he would have stayed hungry for 26 days in “Delhi’s hot weather” if a trade or deal had to make a “trade or deal.”
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Earlier today, Congress MP Imran Masood had compared Wangchuk to social activist Anna Hazare, alleging he had struck a “personal” deal with the government.
Calling him “Anna Hazare part two,” Masood said, “He is Anna (social activist Anna Hazare) part two. For 12 years, Anna has remained silent, and now Sonam Wangchuk will remain silent. You were striking a deal with the government yesterday; at the time, was any student present there? What else is there except your personal deal with the government?”
He also questioned why no students, only people from Ladakh, were present during Wangchuk’s meeting with the government.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke hit back, saying, “This protest belongs to the youth of the nation, not the Opposition parties. This movement will not weaken.”
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “Congress has crossed all limits, the manner in which they have insulted Sonam Wangchuk. Rahul Gandhi never went to Sonam Wangchuk, he was out for vacation for 21 days and never cared about students or their protest. Today, when the Govt has spoken to protesters, spoken to Sonam Wangchuk, ended his fast and acceded to his demand that there should be discussion in Parliament, Rahul is running away from the discussion and he is getting MPs to abuse Sonam Wangchuk.” He added, “They are already very upset because they are not getting credit… PM is committed to the cause of students, he has been the one who has been consistently fighting for their fast-track courts, anti-copying law, ensuring NEET exam was carried out properly, action in the Education Ministry.”
He further said, “But look at the Congress party. In their own states papers are leaked but they don’t even sack a peon, they don’t take any action. And now they are abusing Sonam Wangchuk, they are insulting him because they want credit. It’s a fight of credit, not a fight of pupils and students.”
Also Read: ‘Anna part 2’: Congress MP says Wangchuk struck deal with govt as fast ends; Dipke and BJP react
Wangchuk broke his 26-day hunger strike late Thursday night at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh. Sharing a picture from the hospital on X, he said, “Just now in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda & Dr. Jitendra Singh and the senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh I finally broke my fast after 26 days.”
He added, “Earlier 65 in members of parliament from different political parties had visited or signed letters urging me to break the fast. This was done after a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country. I will explain the conditions in detail in a separate video very soon. meanwhile urge you all to stay very vitillant about not allowing violence of any kind anywhere.”
He said he ended his fast after the government assured him no action would be taken against those protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar and those who marched to Parliament on July 20.
