Sonam Wangchuk says hunger ‘stabilised’ on day 13 of indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar (Image/X)
NEW DELHI: Climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk on Friday said his hunger had ‘stabilised’ after 13 days of fasting and asserted that his constitutional right to hold a peaceful protest should not be violated by any attempt to remove him from the protest site.Wangchuk has been on an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest, which is demanding the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities. The agitation entered its 21st day on Friday.Speaking to reporters, Wangchuk said he was coping well despite the prolonged fast.”Today is the 13th day (of the fast). I am feeling okay. My hunger has stabilised. The initial days are difficult as the body adjusts to fasting. There is some tiredness, but otherwise I am fine,” he said.He said he had lost both fat and muscle but still felt energetic.”I have lost muscle along with fat. My bones are beginning to show, but I still feel energetic,” Wangchuk said. Responding to questions about whether authorities could intervene if his health worsened, Wangchuk said he was participating in the protest voluntarily and there was no justification for removing him. “I don’t know why they should try to remove me. I am here willingly and there is no threat to my life. If they remove me, it will be a violation of our rights,” he said.He added, “We are holding a peaceful protest. The country and the world are watching the state of our democracy. This is not a favour. It is our right. We have the right to hold a peaceful protest under Article 19, and I hope that right continues to be respected.” Wangchuk said he was continuing his fast in support of students seeking accountability over alleged examination irregularities and also urged the Centre to resolve pending issues concerning Ladakh.”I am standing here in support of the students, for accountability in issues related to education. The issue of Ladakh has also progressed through talks, and now it should be brought to a conclusion. The Monsoon Session is a very good time to finalise it,” he said.Referring to student suicides linked to the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination in May, Wangchuk said the protest aimed to prevent similar incidents in the future.”As you know, 20 students have committed suicide. It should not happen that next year the number rises to 40 or 80. We are sitting here to prevent such situations,” he said.He also said accepting Pradhan’s resignation before the Monsoon Session would help the government regain the confidence of young people.”If they accept the education minister’s resignation, they may become popular among the youth again. Right now there is a lot of anger among young people, which will harm them politically. They should do it for their own benefit before Parliament meets. If they don’t, we will do whatever else we have to do,” he said.CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said Wangchuk had lost around 7.5 kg since beginning his fast and that his blood sugar levels remained consistently low.”As the days go by, his energy is decreasing. He has considerable weakness while walking and finds it difficult to speak. It is a deteriorating situation. Our medical team is closely monitoring him, and we hope the government will listen to us soon,” Ranka said.Ranka reiterated the outfit’s demands, including Pradhan’s resignation and Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide. He said the government had not initiated any dialogue with the protesters and that the CJP would go ahead with its proposed march to Parliament on July 20 if there was no response.The protest began on June 20 over alleged examination irregularities. Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28 and has been on an indefinite fast since then. On Thursday, the outfit announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session, inviting students, parents and citizens from across the country to participate.
