&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'If my health...': Sonam Wangchuk announces terms to end his fast, mentions nothing about Parliament march")
Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Monday (July 20) said that he would end his indefinite hunger strike if the government took accountability for recent failures in the education system or if Members of Parliament (MPs) assured him that the issue would be raised in Parliament. Wangchuk, who is on day 23 of his fast, took to X and outlined three conditions under which he would call off his fast. He said that he would end the fast if CJP members reach the doors of Parliament and MPs assure them to take up the matter in Parliament. He also said that if his health would not allow him to continue his fast till the above happens, he would end it if MPs from other political parties visit him in hospital and assures him that the matter would be taken up in the Parliament. A day ago, Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, also said that her husband would end his hunger strike if political leaders assured him they would raise education accountability in Parliament.
In a handwritten note from Safdarjung Hospital, which he said was his “illegal detention”, he said: "Dear friends & supporters, many of you have asked when will I end fast. As mentioned earlier to supporters, I will end my fast on 20th July..." Wangchuk wrote. He was picked two days before the planned march to Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon Session on Monday (July 20). The note, dated July 19, concluded, “From the illegal detention at Safdarjung Hospital, where my freedom of movement, speech and all communication are restricted.”
Meanwhile, a large crowd has gathered at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar for Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)'s 'Sansad Chalo' march. Ahead of the proposed march, the Delhi Police imposed prohibitory orders across the national capital except at the protest site near Jantar Mantar.
Wangchuk taken to hospital forcefully
This comes even as Wangchuk, in a handwritten note from Safdarjung on July 19, called for making the march a big success, branding it as the country's "second freedom movement". His message was signed, "Sent through Gitanjali, from my illegal detention at Safdarjung." Wangchuk was removed from the protest site in Jantar Mantar by the Delhi Police on July 18. The Delhi Police claimed that they shifted Wangchuk from the protest site as per a Delhi court's order on monitoring Wangchuk's health by government doctors, however, CJP's Abhijeet Dipke claimed the climate activist was “taken away forcefully.” Wangchuk and CJP are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak scandal.
