Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike entered its nineteenth day at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Thursday, intensifying pressure on the government as students, political leaders, entertainers and civil society groups rallied behind demands for accountability over alleged examination irregularities.
The Cockroach Janta Party, which is leading the agitation, called a one-day mass hunger strike across the country in solidarity with Wangchuk and students affected by alleged leaks and administrative failures surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test. Supporters were also encouraged to post photographs of empty plates online as part of a digital campaign.
Wangchuk said medical examinations had shown that his heart and other vital indicators remained stable, seeking to counter claims that he faced an immediate threat to his life. He acknowledged growing physical weakness and muscle loss but insisted that he intended to continue the protest until the government addressed the movement’s demands.
The engineer, education reformer and environmental campaigner began fasting on June 28 after joining the CJP-led demonstration. Protest organisers said he had lost about 8.5 kilograms by Tuesday, while medical teams continued monitoring his blood pressure, blood sugar and general condition.
Concern over his health reached the Delhi High Court after a public interest petition sought urgent hospitalisation, medical treatment and possible force-feeding. The petition asked the court to direct the central and Delhi governments to intervene, arguing that the prolonged fast could place Wangchuk’s life at risk.
The court agreed to examine the request and sought responses from the authorities. The legal proceedings have added another layer of pressure to an agitation that began as a student-led challenge to the credibility of the examination system but has developed into a broader campaign over youth unemployment, institutional accountability and education reform.
The CJP is demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, an independent investigation into alleged paper leaks and compensation for families of students who died by suicide after suffering examination-related distress. It has also sought structural changes intended to prevent leaks, protect candidates and increase transparency in recruitment and entrance testing.
The movement emerged after anger over alleged irregularities in the medical entrance examination, taken by about 2.3 million candidates. Questions over the security and administration of high-stakes tests have fuelled broader frustration among young people who face intense competition for limited university places and government jobs.
The CJP, founded by Abhijeet Dipke, has built a substantial online following by presenting itself as a platform for unemployed people, students and candidates affected by faulty examinations. Its name appropriates a term used disparagingly against unemployed protesters and converts it into a symbol of endurance and resistance.
Physical participation at Jantar Mantar has remained smaller than the campaign’s online reach, generally ranging from several hundred demonstrators to about 1,000 on busier days. Organisers, however, said around 150,000 people had registered support for a planned march towards Parliament on July 20.
Political backing has expanded as Wangchuk’s condition has weakened. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to him and expressed solidarity with the movement. Aazad Samaj Party leader Chandrashekhar Azad visited the protest site, while Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal and farmer leader Rakesh Tikait were expected to meet Wangchuk on Thursday.
Several opposition politicians have urged him to end the fast while supporting his demands. The appeals reflect concern that a medical emergency could transform the agitation into a major confrontation between the government and a coalition of students, activists and opposition parties.
The protest has also drawn figures from mainstream entertainment. Actors Shabana Azmi, Soni Razdan, Rakhi Sawant and Sayaji Shinde, music composer Vishal Dadlani and comedian Kunal Kamra have either expressed support or appealed to Wangchuk to protect his health.
