Hunger Strike Day 18: Activists Call for Dialogue as Wangchuk's Health Declines

Activist Sonam Wangchuk remained under round-the-clock medical supervision on Wednesday as he completed the 18th day of his hunger strike, with his condition described as 'very weak' by the attending doctors. The protest, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), is demanding a transparent examination system and accountability for repeated paper leaks in the NEET medical entrance exam.

According to the CJP's medical bulletin, Wangchuk's weight has dropped to 57.15 kg, a loss of 400 grams in the past 24 hours and 8.9 kg since the fast began. His blood pressure was recorded at 105/76 mmHg, blood sugar at 80 mg/dL, and oxygen saturation at 97%, with hydration levels described as 'fair'. Doctors stated that he remains conscious and mentally alert but requires continuous monitoring.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke accused the government of being 'cruel' for not engaging in dialogue. '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,' he said on social media. He questioned why the Prime Minister and the Education Minister have not responded to the protesters' demands.

The CJP announced a one-day mass hunger strike on July 16 in solidarity with Wangchuk and the student protesters at Jantar Mantar. The group also renewed its call for a 'Chalo Sansad' march on July 20, demanding the sacking of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a overhaul of the examination system.

Separately, leaders of the All India Students' Association (AISA) continued their own hunger strike despite worsening health. A delegation of academics, including Nivedita Menon and Aditya Nigam, visited the protesters. Political support also came from Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj and others, who urged the public to join the July 20 march.

On Tuesday, several political leaders including Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Uddhav Thackeray, and Arvind Kejriwal appealed to Wangchuk to end his fast. Actress Zeenat Aman called on the government to initiate dialogue. Former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela and actor Swara Bhaskar also expressed solidarity. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor extended support to the agitation, the CJP said.

Dipke urged supporters to change their social media display pictures in solidarity. The CJP claimed that over 1.3 lakh people have registered through its missed-call campaign for the Parliament march.