Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Monday said he would end his indefinite hunger strike on July 20 if the government accepted responsibility for recent failures in the education system or if MPs assured him that the issue would be raised in Parliament. He is on day 23 of his fast.
Event Context
In a handwritten note from Safdarjung Hospital, where he was forcefully hospitalised, Wangchuk outlined three conditions under which he would call off his fast. He alleged being held under “illegal detention” at the hospital.
“Dear friends & supporters, many of you have asked when will I end fast. As mentioned earlier to supporters, I will end my fast on 20th July…” Wangchuk wrote.
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Wangchuk issued the note as thousands of supporters gathered at Jantar Mantar ahead of the CJP’s planned “Chalo Sansad” march on Monday.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke called for an overnight vigil, while Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, said her husband would end his hunger strike if political leaders assured him they would raise education accountability in Parliament.
The protesters are demanding Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over irregularities in the education system, including the recent NEET paper leak, and student suicides.
Match Outlook
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He said he would end the fast if the government took accountability for recent failures in the education system, including paper leaks, or if Members of Parliament and leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) reached Parliament and political parties assured that they would take up the issue.
He added that if his health or other factors prevented him from continuing the fast, he would end it if MPs and leaders of different parties visited him in hospital and gave the same assurance.
The note, dated July 19, concluded, “From the illegal detention at Safdarjung Hospital, where my freedom of movement, speech and all communication are restricted.”
