New Delhi, July 15: Activist Sonam Wangchuk entered the 18th day of his hunger strike on Wednesday, as MPs cutting across party lines visited Jantar Mantar and founder Abhijeet Dipke accused the government of being “cruel” for refusing to meet him. The Ladakhi activist is under round-the-clock medical supervision.
The CJP’s protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination entered its 26th day. The outfit also announced a one-day mass hunger strike on Thursday ahead of its “Chalo Sansad” march on July 20.
According to the medical bulletin issued by the CJP, Wangchuk remains “very weak” and is under 24-hour medical vigilance.
His weight has fallen to 57.15 kg, a drop of 400 grams in the last 24 hours, and 8.9 kg since he began his hunger strike.
His blood pressure was recorded at 105/76, blood sugar at 80 mg/dL, oxygen saturation at 97 per cent, while hydration was described as fair.
Doctors said he is conscious and mentally alert but requires continuous monitoring.
“Day 18 of Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike. The man who chose to put his own life on the line to seek justice for students who died by suicide has received nothing but silence from the government. The government is not just unaccountable; it is also cruel,” Dipke said in a post on X.
The Cockroach Janata Party founder said the questions that deserved answers were why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was refusing to engage in dialogue and why Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had still not been held accountable.
“Instead of asking why opposition leaders haven’t supported CJP, or why every CJP team member isn’t on a hunger strike alongside Sonam sir, ask the questions that actually matter. Why is the Prime Minister refusing to engage in a dialogue? Why is the Education Minister still not being held accountable?” he said.
Support for the agitation gathered momentum as the day wore on, with Bhim Army chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad, Samajwadi Party MPs Mohibbullah Naqvi and Ajendra Singh Lodhi, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen, Congress Lok Sabha MP Prashant Yadaorao Padole, and CPI Rajya Sabha MP Sandosh Kumar visiting the protest site.
According to the CJP, the MPs assured the protesters that their issues will be raised strongly in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, as well as at the all-party meeting on July 19.
Addressing the gathering, Chandrashekhar Azad extended support to the Parliament march and called upon students and youth across the country to join the movement.
“How long can this dictatorship continue? Why are the prime minister, home minister, and education minister refusing to listen? Is this government waiting for Sonam Wangchuk to die? I salute his courage. If anything happens to him, the government will be responsible,” Azad said.
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen said she had come on behalf of party chief Mamata Banerjee.
“I was with Mamata Banerjee when she sat on a 26-day fast in 2006. I know how difficult it is,” Sen said.
Comedian Kunal Kamra also visited the protest site. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka claimed Jantar Mantar was packed with supporters and said, “A tsunami is coming. Time’s running out for this government.”
At a separate stage, All India Students’ Association (AISA) leaders Neha, Manish, and Aameen continued their hunger strike despite worsening health.
The Left-backed organisation said a delegation comprising academics Nivedita Menon, Aditya Nigam, Anuradha Chenoy and Radha Kumar visited the students, while Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj, MLA Atul Pradhan and MLC Man Singh Yadav have extended support and urged people to join the Parliament march.
On Tuesday, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal appealed to Wangchuk to end his fast, while veteran actor Zeenat Aman urged the government to initiate dialogue with the activist.
Former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela and actor Swara Bhaskar were among those who visited the protest site on Tuesday to express solidarity with Wangchuk and the CJP protesters. (PTI)
