Sonam Wangchuk
NEW DELHI: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday announced that he would launch a 42-day hunger strike if Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke or other members of the movement are arrested ahead of the group’s proposed protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Wangchuk also confirmed that he would travel from Ladakh to join the demonstration.In a video message posted on X, Wangchuk said: “Tomorrow, June 6, I will be coming to Delhi from Ladakh to meet all of you, and I will see you at Jantar Mantar. However, if for any reason they are arrested tomorrow, then I will be compelled to take a step that I do not wish to take. I will begin an indefinite hunger strike from tomorrow itself, and this time it will last six weeks, or 42 days. I am prepared to do that. The question is: what will you do?” His remarks come ahead of Dipke’s return to India on Friday for a planned protest seeking the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations including NEET-UG, CUET, CBSE and SSC GD. Dipke has said he intends to travel to Parliament Street Police Station after landing in Delhi to seek permission for a peaceful demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Wangchuk said his association with the movement developed unexpectedly after he publicly described the Cockroach Janta Party as a creative expression of India’s younger generation.”I am myself surprised at how deeply connected I have become with the Cockroach Janta Party in such a short span of time. After meeting them, I felt they were simple, honest, sincere and patriotic young people,” he said. Appealing for calm ahead of the protest, the activist urged supporters to keep the movement entirely peaceful and warned against any attempts at provocation.”My humble request is that you keep this movement completely peaceful. Come and join the movement, but bring only a water bottle, your mobile phone and some flowers,” he said.”Do not bring sticks, stones or anything else. If anyone does bring such objects, remain vigilant. If you see someone carrying weapons or objects that could provoke violence, immediately take photographs or record live videos and inform the nearest police personnel.”Wangchuk said any disruption could undermine what he described as a historic youth-led movement.”It is such mischief-makers who can tarnish a historic struggle being led by India’s youth,” he said.The activist’s warning carries weight given his history of using hunger strikes as a form of protest. Last year, Wangchuk undertook a prolonged fast demanding constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, including statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.The Cockroach Janta Party, which began as a satirical online movement, has rapidly grown into a youth-led campaign focused on issues including examination controversies, unemployment and political accountability.Earlier this week, the group announced that Wangchuk would join its June 6 protest if the education minister did not resign, while Wangchuk said any ‘self-respecting minister’ should step down if events had affected the futures of millions of students.
