Sonam Wangchuk's Hunger Strike: Activist's Health Declines as Support Grows Nationwide
Activist's Deteriorating Condition Sparks Nationwide Solidarity
New Delhi: As Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar reached its sixth day on Friday, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) reported that he appeared significantly weaker and more fatigued. They called on supporters nationwide to participate in a one-day fast to show solidarity with his protest.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke provided an update on Wangchuk's health via X, noting his blood pressure was at 110/75 mmHg, pulse rate at 72 beats per minute, and blood sugar level at 61 mg/dL.
It’s Day 6 of @Wangchuk66’s hunger strike, and today he looks far weaker and more exhausted than he did just a few days ago.
Today, for the first time, I could see the pain on his face as his health continues to deteriorate. He told us he is fine and that there is nothing to… pic.twitter.com/Bft5G8xRpd
— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) July 3, 2026
Dipke expressed concern that Wangchuk's health was declining with each hour, despite the activist's insistence that he felt fine.
On this sixth day of the hunger strike, Wangchuk's condition has visibly worsened. Dipke remarked that for the first time, the pain was evident on Wangchuk's face, contrasting with his claims of being okay.
In another message, Dipke praised Wangchuk as a dedicated educationist risking his life for the sake of students and questioned when the government would take action.
He urged supporters across the nation to join the cause by fasting for a day from their homes.
Today marks Day 6 of Sonam Wangchuk's fast, and our team is fasting alongside him in solidarity. We encourage everyone to observe a one-day fast at home to support this movement and share their experiences on social media, he stated.
Additionally, six students from the All India Students' Association (AISA) continued their indefinite hunger strike from a separate location at the protest site.
On Thursday, AISA reported that the health of the fasting students had deteriorated, with Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union joint secretary Danish's blood sugar dropping to 50 mg/dL, while another student, Deepak Kumar Verma, fell to 59 mg/dL.
Among the other fasting students, Manish and Aameen recorded blood sugar levels of 63 mg/dL each, while Neha and Hrishikesh had levels of 68 mg/dL. AISA claimed that many students were at risk of fainting but would persist with their fast until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.
The protest has now entered its 14th day, gaining support from various political leaders and civil society members, including CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby, senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, CPI General Secretary D Raja, CPI(ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, social activist Yogendra Yadav, Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan, CPI leader Annie Raja, transparency activist Anjali Bhardwaj, RTI activist Nikhil Dey, and TMC MP Sagarika Ghose.
The CJP's protest commenced on June 20, addressing alleged irregularities in the examination system, including NEET.
Dipke mentioned that the agitation would also highlight other accountability issues, including electoral matters such as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.