17th Day of Hunger Strike: Famous Activist Calls for Education Minister’s Resignation

Indian renowned social activist and engineer Sonam Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike in the heart of Delhi for 17 days. Reports indicate his health is rapidly deteriorating. The activist is demanding the resignation of the country's Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan. This was reported by The Independent .

Wangchuk is supporting young people who began protesting following a scandal involving leaked exam questions in May. This incident affected millions of students and intensified protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

The protest is being organized by the 30-year-old Abhijit Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) — the “Cockroach People's Party.” The movement gained rapid popularity on Instagram, gathering 22 million followers in just a few days.

The 59-year-old Wangchuk continues his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. According to Reuters, he is too weak to even speak. The CJP reported that as of July 14, he had lost 8.5 kilograms. On July 13, one of the participants fainted and was taken to the hospital.

Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and government officials have not yet commented on the matter.

Sonam Wangchuk is also known as the engineer who inspired the character in a famous Bollywood film. Opposition leaders are calling for an end to the hunger strike, emphasizing that his life is in danger.

Another cause for the protests is youth unemployment and irregularities in examinations. After exam questions were leaked online, medical college entrance exams taken by 2.3 million applicants were canceled and later rescheduled.