Indian Activist Sonam Wangchuk Removed After 20‑Day Hunger Strike

Sun Sep 06 2026 04:23:45 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly taken from a protest stage in Delhi after a fortnight of hunger strike, raising questions about the trials over education reforms.

Sonam Wangchuk, a 59‑year‑old educationist, had been on an indefinite hunger strike for 20 days in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, demanding that the Education Minister resign following exam‑paper leaks. Police removed him after a court order citing his health, and he was transferred to a government hospital. The protest, tied to the satirical Cockroach Janta Party, is set on a march to Parliament, but Wangchuk’s future participation is uncertain as the government has not yet engaged with the movement.

Sonam Wangchuk, a 59‑year‑old Indian activist and educationist, was taken from a stage in Delhi’s historic Jantar Mantar after 20 days of hunger strike. He had been protesting in support of the satirical “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP), calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following leaks of candidates’ exam papers for the national NEET‑UG 2026 entrance exam.

Police shut down the protest site, covering Wangchuk with bedsheets before escorting him to a government hospital. A Delhi High Court order that requested regular health checks and medical treatment for the activist was cited as the reason for his removal.

Wangchuk sank 9 kg and endured significant pain, yet he insisted he would still attend the planned march to Parliament. “I’ve grown weak from the outside but I’m strong from within,” he told the crowd before being taken away.

The CJP, formed in May, has gained a large online following and has urged the government to listen to students and the activist’s demands. Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited Wangchuk, urging officials to meet the protesters promptly. However, the government has not yet responded to these pressures.

The future of the march remains uncertain, with the activist unlikely to participate in Parliament after his hospital transfer.