Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s health has worsened as he entered the 16th day of his indefinite hunger strike in Delhi. Doctors attending to him reported a fall in his blood pressure and a total weight loss of 7.8 kg since he began fasting in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest over alleged examination irregularities.

According to a health update shared by the outfit on Sunday, Wangchuk’s blood pressure was recorded at 104/66 mm Hg. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke posted the update on X, writing, “Day 15 of Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike. When will the government wake up???”

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On Monday, he added, “I request the Govt not to turn this into a battle of egos as human lives are at stake here.”

The CJP’s protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar entered its 23rd day on Sunday. Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28 after the protest began on June 20 and has continued his fast since then.

Supporters raise concern over Wangchuk’s health

As Wangchuk’s condition weakened, CJP leaders expressed growing anxiety over his health.

“I don’t know how much longer Sonam sir can hold on. He keeps telling us he can. But those of us sitting beside him are terribly worried,” CJP spokesperson Saurav Das wrote on X, adding that things are looking “grimmer” by the day.

He further wrote, “This is a man who could have chosen a life of comfort and recognition. Instead, the recipient of a Ramon Magsaysay Award, an honour equivalent to the Nobel Prize, is putting his own life at risk for the future of our children, the young, and this country. He sits for those dead students murdered by a broken, corrupt education system. He is sacrificing his body and maybe his life for a greater cause.”

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Sonam Wangchuk’s health worsened on Day 16 of his hunger strike | X/@CJP_for_India

The CJP has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy. The organisation has also announced a march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session.

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Political leaders extend support

Several political leaders and activists visited the protest site on Sunday to express solidarity with the demonstrators.

Former Kerala health minister KK Shylaja said, “We are all here to express our solidarity with the protest conducted by the CJP. It is on an important issue. We want accountability in examinations. We want a fair entrance examination system in our country.”

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Sonam Wangchuk’s blood pressure drops during indefinite hunger strike | X/@CJP_for_India

She also alleged that repeated paper leaks could not have occurred without the ministry’s knowledge and backed the demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

Samajwadi Party MP Pushpendra Saroj also visited Jantar Mantar. In a post on X, the CJP said the young parliamentarian had come to “amplify the voices of students protesting against the continuous paper leaks and irregularities”.

Wangchuk urges citizens to take responsibility

A day before the health update, Wangchuk appealed to people not to treat him as a hero.

“Please don’t look for a hero in someone else. Be the hero of your own life. Fulfil your responsibilities as a citizen,” he said in a video posted on X while urging people to participate in the July 20 march to Parliament.

The protest site also saw participation from members of the AISA, Bhim Army Delhi president Himanshu, activist Lauren Jyoti Gogoi and economist Prof Jayati Ghosh, who addressed the gathering on youth unemployment and the need to safeguard young people’s future.

FAQs:

Why is Sonam Wangchuk on a hunger strike?

He joined the CJP protest demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities and related issues.

What is Sonam Wangchuk’s latest health update?

CJP said his blood pressure dropped to 104/66 mm Hg and he has lost 7.8 kg since beginning the fast.