Day 21: Sonam Wangchuk Hospitalised As Delhi Protest Escalates

Climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk was shifted from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital early Saturday morning, on the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike. The move has triggered a political firestorm, with opposition leaders slamming the Centre while police maintain the action followed medical advice and Delhi High Court directions.

What Happened with Sonam Wangchuk?

Wangchuk had been fasting since June 28 alongside members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and student activists, protesting alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and student deaths linked to the controversy. Delhi Police shifted him to hospital around 7:40 AM after his health visibly deteriorated, citing dehydration and prolonged fasting.

The Fallout

Following Wangchuk’s removal, CJP founder Abhijit Dipke announced he was beginning his own indefinite hunger strike at the same protest site, alleging he had been manhandled by police during the operation.

Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, pushed back sharply against the hospital transfer, insisting that no treatment be administered without her explicit consent and holding authorities accountable for his wellbeing.

Opposition leaders wasted no time reacting. AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal called the government’s approach a sign of “defeat,” while CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby accused the Centre of cracking down on peaceful protesters instead of addressing the alleged exam paper leak. Sharad Pawar of NCP (SP) termed the government’s handling of the situation “irresponsible.”

Police, meanwhile, said the transfer was carried out solely for essential medical care and appealed to remaining protesters to vacate the site peacefully. Security was tightened around Jantar Mantar and the hospital, with barricades and additional personnel deployed to manage the crowd.

Hunger strikes have long been used as a form of nonviolent protest in India, tracing back to the independence movement popularized by Mahatma Gandhi’s satyagraha campaigns, a tradition documented in detail on Wikipedia.

What’s Next

With Dipke now taking up the fast and international solidarity groups, including US-based advocacy organizations, rallying behind Wangchuk’s cause, the protest shows no signs of winding down despite his hospitalisation. The government has yet to announce any formal talks with protest organizers.

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