Sonam Wangchuk loses 9 kg in 19-day fast, refuses to end hunger strike
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has lost over 9 kilograms on the 19th day of his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, his doctor said on Thursday. Dr Satish Lamba, senior general physician monitoring Wangchuk, reported that his blood sugar stood at 80 mg/dL, pulse rate at 72 beats per minute, and blood pressure at 105/61 mmHg lying down and 101/65 mmHg while sitting. Lamba said Wangchuk's hydration was fair and he remained mentally alert, but warned that the coming days could be critical.
Wangchuk has rejected appeals from political leaders and supporters to end his fast, stating that breaking it without a government response would send the wrong message. 'If I eat, what message will go? The message to the government will be that there is no need for accountability,' he said.
A public interest litigation was filed in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday seeking to force-feed Wangchuk and move him to a government hospital. The petition, claiming Wangchuk could 'lose his life in two days,' was to be heard by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia but was delayed due to a lawyers' strike and rescheduled for Thursday.
In a video message late Wednesday, Wangchuk said he had received thousands of messages urging him to break his fast and that several senior politicians had met him with concern. He addressed health worries, noting that medical tests including an ECG were largely normal for an 18-day fast. 'There is weakness and my muscles are getting weak, but my heart and core are still fine,' he said.
Instead of ending his fast, Wangchuk urged people to join the 'Chalo Sansad' march proposed by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on July 20, calling on schools, colleges and universities to treat it as experiential education under the National Education Policy. He asked supporters to register via the campaign's website or a missed-call initiative.
A team of four to five doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, along with Dr Lamba, visits Wangchuk twice daily to monitor his vitals. Lamba said Wangchuk's uric acid levels are rising as his body breaks down muscle tissue for energy, and ketones have been detected in his urine, indicating a shift from carbohydrate to fat burning. His kidneys remain functional so far, but prolonged fasting could lead to kidney damage.
On force-feeding, Lamba said consent would be required first. If medical intervention becomes unavoidable, intravenous support with dextrose and saline solution would be safer than tube feeding, which carries risks such as aspiration or insulin spikes.
The CJP has been protesting at Jantar Mantar for 20 days, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharme.
