Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has lost 8.2 kg since beginning his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday saying his health has deteriorated further as the fast entered its 16th day and the protest over alleged examination irregularities completed 24 days.
According to a health update released by the CJP, Wangchuk's blood glucose level has fallen to 67 mg/dL, while his blood pressure was recorded at 107/70 mm Hg. The outfit said the activist continues to remain on an indefinite fast in support of demands related to alleged examination irregularities and accountability in the education system.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke appealed to the Centre to engage with the protesters, saying the issue should not become "a battle of egos".
"Day 16 of Wangchuk's hunger strike. I request the government not to turn this into a battle of egos as human lives are at stake here," Dipke said in a post on X, adding that acknowledging mistakes was a sign of accountability and maturity.
The agitation received fresh political support on Monday as an Aam Aadmi Party delegation led by former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi visited the protest site and expressed solidarity with the movement. According to the CJP, the delegation reiterated its demand for a transparent, fair and credible examination system and backed calls for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
CPI(M) MP Amra Ram, along with senior party leaders from Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, also visited the protest venue and extended support to the demonstrators. The leaders also backed the CJP's proposed peaceful march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament on July 20, coinciding with the opening day of the Monsoon Session.
Meanwhile, members of the All India Students' Association (AISA) affiliated with CPI(ML) Liberation continued their parallel indefinite hunger strike at the protest site. In a statement, AISA said the health of the students on fast had also deteriorated, but maintained that the agitation would continue until their demands were addressed.
The CJP has been demanding the resignation of the Union education minister, a transparent examination system and ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide over examination-related irregularities.
Also read: CJP calls July 20 Parliament march as protest gains support
The agitation has drawn support from several Opposition leaders. Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh, former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, and CPI(M) leaders M.A. Baby, Brinda Karat and K.K. Shailaja are among those who have either visited the protest site or publicly backed the movement.
The Congress, however, has not officially joined the protest. While party MP Balwant Baswant Wankhede visited the sit-in, senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have so far stayed away.
Instead, Gandhi recently launched "Chhatron Ki Goonj" (Echo of Students), a nationwide campaign highlighting issues such as examination irregularities, paper leaks and challenges faced by students. Announcing the initiative, he accused the Centre of allowing a "paper leak mafia" to flourish and called for sweeping reforms in the education system.
The BJP has alleged that the Congress is backing the CJP agitation against the NDA government, a charge the Congress has not officially responded to. Meanwhile, Thackeray's appeal adds to the growing Opposition support for the student-led movement, even as the Congress continues to pursue its own campaign on education reforms.
Follow us
