On Thursday, the Congress urged activist Sonam Wangchuk to call off his indefinite hunger strike, stating that "his concerns are our concerns," while again pressing for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal stated that Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike for 19 days demanding Pradhan’s resignation, and pointed out that the party has been pressing for the same demand for more than a month and a half.
We share Shri Wangchuk ji’s pain and anger, particularly over the Modi government’s lack of accountability for the breakdown of the examination system, Venugopal stated in a post on X.
Urging Wangchuk to end his fast, Venugopal stated that his health had become a serious concern.
Considering his health condition, we urge Shri Wangchuk to call off his fast. His concerns are shared by us and by other Opposition parties. We assure you that we will persist in challenging the Modi government and pressing for the Education Minister’s resignation,
Congress reiterates demand
Speaking at a press conference earlier in the day, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the party had been demanding Pradhan's resignation for the past two months.
He stated that several other individuals had also called for the minister’s resignation. Ramesh further noted that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, had made this demand in Kota on June 17 and was expected to reiterate it during his interaction with students in Dehradun on Friday.
On Thursday, Wangchuk marked the 19th day of his indefinite hunger strike, with doctors reporting that he had lost over nine kilograms and reached a critical condition. They cautioned that the extended fast could soon start damaging his organs.
In a video address released late Wednesday night, Wangchuk made it clear he would not end his fast despite appeals from political leaders and supporters. He stated that calling off the protest without any response from the government would convey the wrong message.Instead, he called on people to bolster the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned Parliament march scheduled for July 20.
Backing for Wangchuk’s protest kept increasing. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait declared that he would meet him at Jantar Mantar on Thursday evening. Music composer Vishal Dadlani, actor Sayaji Shinde, and author Shobhaa De likewise urged the government to open talks with the activist and voiced alarm over his worsening health.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court instructed the authorities to conduct daily checks on Wangchuk’s health and to provide medical care whenever necessary, noting that "the life of every citizen is valuable." The Centre and the Delhi government informed the court that they did not oppose regular medical monitoring.
The Cockroach Janta Party has been staging a protest at Jantar Mantar, calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. The party has also announced a Parliament march on July 20, the first day of the Monsoon Session.
