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Sonam Wangchuk
Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday called for a "peaceful revolution" in the way India chooses its political leadership, saying the country needs a major change if it is to remain a "respectable nation" by 2047. In a video message ahead of Independence Day, Wangchuk also called for "India's second Independence movement", urging citizens to suggest "selfless, fearless men and women of character and substance" who can help shape the country's future. He said he had been unwell over the past few days and had spent time thinking about the country and its future. "Fifty years ago, the neighbouring countries that were behind us, or were equal to us, have now gone miles away from us," he said, naming Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. "If we talk about per capita GDP, and if this continues, then in 2047, we will not be a developed country, but we will not even be able to show our face in the world market," he said. Wangchuk congratulated those who had sought change
Activist Sonam Wangchuk will be discharged from Medanta Hospital on Monday and will visit Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi before leaving for Ladakh, his team said. Wangchuk, who is recovering in the hospital in Gurugram after he broke his 26-day fast late Friday night, is expected to be discharged at around 11.30 am on Monday. After his discharge, he would visit Rajghat before departing. He earlier paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on June 28 before launching his indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar here to support students protesting alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. Wangchuk had joined the agitation on June 28 and remained on an indefinite fast for 26 days. He was forcibly shifted to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18, where he said he felt like he was being kept in detention. Following a Delhi high court order, Wangchuk was shifted to Medanta Hospital. The 36-day agitation, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), ended on Saturday with the resigna
Activist Sonam Wangchuk released a video on YouTube late Friday night, recounting his experience over the past few days and sharing a clip of what transpired as he was leaving the Safdarjung Hospital after the Delhi High Court allowed him to be shifted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. However, the Safdarjung Hospital has said that the video was recorded before its administration received the written order of the high court. Delhi Police on July 18 forcefully shifted Wangchuk to the Safdarjung Hospital from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest site at the Jantar Mantar, where he had been on a hunger strike since June 28 in support of the CJP's demands for accountability for paper leaks and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, among others. He was shifted to Medanta on July 21 following a Delhi High Court direction. In the video, Wangchuk could be seen getting into a confrontation with a security person at the Safdarjung Hospital, alleging that he was being ...
Activist Sonam Wangchuk said he decided to end his 26-day hunger strike after receiving the Centre's written assurances because he feared an imminent crackdown on protesters and wanted to prevent violence, recalling the September 24, 2025 firing on youth in Ladakh. In a YouTube video posted late Friday night, Wangchuk dismissed allegations that he had reached a deal with the government. He emphasised that his primary goal was to ensure that students involved in the protests would not face violence or legal consequences. He explained that he did not demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during negotiations because his priority was to prevent any legal actions against protesters. Wangchuk expressed confidence that Pradhan would resign eventually. "Last night around midnight, I was told the ministers had agreed to give the assurance in writing. I was in a hurry because the situation in Delhi was such; there was apprehension that a major crackdown could happen.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said it was "relieved and grateful" that activist Sonam Wangchuk had ended his 26-day hunger strike, but asserted that its peaceful protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar would continue until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. In a post on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke thanked Wangchuk for his "extraordinary courage and sacrifice". "We are relieved and grateful that Sonam sir has ended his hunger strike after 26 days. Thank you, sir, for your extraordinary courage and sacrifice. By putting your own life on the line, you awakened the conscience of an entire nation. Your life is far too precious to this country," Dipke said. He added, "The Cockroach Janta Party's peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar will continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns." Wangchuk ended his indefinite hunger strike late on Thursday after the Centre assured him that it would not initiate action against peaceful protesters and would consider his key demands regarding ..
A delegation of opposition MPs will visit Sonam Wangchuk at Gurugram's Medanta Hospital to persuade him to end his 25-day fast, and assure him that issues relating to the alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and accountability in the education sector will be raised in Parliament, sources said on Tuesday. The delegation will urge the activist, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the last 25 days, to end his fast after assuring him that the Opposition will take up the matter inside Parliament, the sources said. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas will be among those who meet Wangchuk, according to the sources. Earlier, Wangchuk said he would end his fast if Members of Parliament and leaders of political parties assured him that the issue of accountability in the education sector would be taken up during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. However, following the police crackdown on ...
Activists from a US-based advocacy group held demonstrations in New York and San Jose to express solidarity with activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike in New Delhi over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET exams. Activists from the 'Hindus for Human Rights' gathered at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in New York City's Union Square and San Jose on Monday evening carrying placards bearing slogans in support of Wangchuk. The activists also raised slogans against the Indian government and demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Similar solidarity demonstrations were also held outside the Indian High Commission in London and the Indian Embassy in Dublin, the Hindus for Human Rights said in a statement here on Tuesday. "Our protests sent a clear message, whether in New York or London, San Jose or Dublin: India's students deserve to be treated with fairness and dignity," the group said in a statement. "The youth of Indi
