National, July 20: Activist Sonam Wangchuk will end his indefinite hunger strike if political leaders assure him that the issue of education accountability will be raised during the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning on Monday, July 20, his wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, said on Sunday.
Addressing protesters at Jantar Mantar, where the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has been leading demonstrations over the alleged NEET paper leak and demanding education reforms, Angmo said Wangchuk had conveyed that he would call off his fast if political parties committed to taking up the issue in Parliament.
“If political leaders meet Sonam at the hospital and assure him that they will raise the issue of education accountability during the Monsoon Session, he will end his hunger strike tomorrow. If there is no assurance or accountability, he will continue his fast,” she said.
Angmo said Wangchuk has continued his fast despite being admitted to Safdarjung Hospital two days ago.
“He has not broken his fast even after being in the hospital for two days. He will break his fast only when he gets an assurance that the biggest platform in the country—Parliament—will take up this issue,” she said.
Ahead of the CJP’s proposed “Chalo Sansad” march on Monday, Angmo appealed to supporters to maintain peace and discipline, saying Wangchuk had urged protesters to ensure the demonstration remained peaceful and was not misused.
She also said Wangchuk’s health remained stable.
“Sonam’s health is perfectly fine. I tried my best in the High Court to have him shifted to a private hospital, but I could not succeed,” she said.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court declined to interfere with Wangchuk’s treatment at Safdarjung Hospital, observing that shifting the fasting activist from Jantar Mantar to a government hospital could not be termed arbitrary.
During a special Sunday hearing, Justice Mini Pushkarna said doctors at Safdarjung Hospital were closely monitoring Wangchuk’s condition and found no grounds to issue an interim order directing his transfer to a private hospital.
Wangchuk was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital by Delhi Police on Saturday after completing three weeks of fasting at the CJP protest site at Jantar Mantar. Angmo and the CJP have maintained that he has continued his hunger strike in hospital and has refused intravenous fluids.
The CJP and Wangchuk are demanding accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak, action against those responsible, comprehensive reforms to the education system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the handling of competitive examinations.
The proposed “Chalo Sansad” march is scheduled to coincide with the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which will continue until August 13. The CJP has said the march will remain peaceful and is intended to urge Parliament to prioritise the issue of education accountability.
