Activist ends hunger strike after 26 days

A prominent Indian environmentalist and social activist, Sonam Wangchuk, has officially ended his 26-day hunger strike. He announced this on July 24 via his X social media page.

The 59-year-old activist had been fasting since June 28 to support a student-led protest movement in the country. The protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following a scandal involving the leak of medical exam questions.

Shortly after, the movement expanded, drawing in representatives from various sectors, social activists, and ordinary citizens. Consequently, the protests evolved into a large-scale campaign against the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

Sonam Wangchuk stated that he decided to end his hunger strike following negotiations with Minister J.P. Nadda, Dr. Jitendra Singh, and the leadership of Ladakh.

The activist reported that 65 members of parliament from various political parties had also urged him to end the fast. He also recalled being taken from the protest site to a hospital by police on July 18.

Wangchuk emphasized that the primary reason for his decision to end the hunger strike was to prevent potential violence in the country and to create space for negotiations.

At the same time, he called on his supporters to refrain from any radical actions, stressing the importance of maintaining peace.

It was reported that on July 23, the activist expressed his readiness to end the fast if the government guaranteed no use of force against students. However, on that same day in New Delhi, police used tear gas and batons to disperse the protesters.

Nevertheless, the protesters gathered again at Jantar Mantar square in the capital to continue their demonstrations. This was the second clash between police and activists within the week.

While ending the hunger strike, Wangchuk reiterated a number of his demands to the government. These include providing compensation to the families of students who died by suicide and ensuring the resignation of the Education Minister. He had previously stated that he would continue the protest for up to six weeks if his health permitted.