NEW DELHI: Opposition leaders on Friday reacted to activist Sonam Wangchuk ending his 26-day hunger strike, which he had undertaken in support of students protesting the alleged NEET-UG examination irregularities and demanding accountability from the Centre.AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal welcomed Wangchuk’s decision to call off his ‘anshan’ citing that his life is important for the nation.In an X post, Kejriwal also urged people to participate in the nationwide protests announced by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said Wangchuk ending his fast was a matter of joy but questioned the circumstances under which it concluded. “Sonam Wangchuk ending his 26-day hunger strike is a matter of joy. But it would have been far better if it had been called off by one of the girls who were beaten during the protest. And if he had ended it from the very same stage at Jantar Mantar from where you were dragged away, it would have been even more meaningful. Anyway! The people are wise,” Raut wrote.TMC MP Mahua Moitra also thanked Wangchuk for his efforts but maintained that the Centre’s assurances were insufficient.”Dear @Wangchuk66, thank you for your efforts. Shri JP Nadda and Dr. Jitendra Singh’s platitudes may pacify you but nothing short of Pradhan’s resignation will suffice for the youth of this country,” she said in a post on X.In a separate post, Moitra appeared to question the optics surrounding the end of the hunger strike, writing in Hindi: “Today if there was, then from someone else’s hand they’d snatch it away, sir… there is such a thing as optics too… :-)” Wangchuk ended his fast earlier on Friday at Medanta Hospital in the presence of Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, after the Centre agreed to hold talks with the CJP at a neutral venue. The CJP has said its nationwide protests will continue until its key demands—including the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, compensation for affected families and withdrawal of cases against protesters—are met.
