Delhi police forcibly moved activist Sonam Wangchuk to hospital on Saturday after his health deteriorated during a 20‑day hunger strike protesting India’s examination system, AFP reports.
Wangchuk, 59, began fasting on 28 June to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in medical entrance examinations.
In recent weeks, several hundred students joined him at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site, while the satirical online movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) organised parallel demonstrations.
Police said the move was carried out “as per the orders of the high court and on expert medical advice due to deteriorating health condition of Sonam Wangchuk.”
A deputy commissioner added that “while complying with the orders, the protestors tried to create obstruction, in which slight commotion ensued.”
Video footage from Jantar Mantar showed confusion among supporters as police, carrying white sheets, hurriedly removed Wangchuk from the stage.
His wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, later confirmed on X that she was with him at the Delhi hospital. She said, “Nothing should be administered to him orally or intravenously without consent from me, his family, and his doctors who have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days.”
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced he would now begin “an indefinite hunger strike,” calling the government’s action “a serious mistake.”
On Thursday, the Delhi High Court ordered government doctors to monitor Wangchuk’s health daily, stressing that “the life of any citizen is precious.” It directed that “whatever medical intervention is needed to save Sonam Wangchuk’s life should be done,” following a petition by activist lawyer Rakesh Kumar Saini.
An engineer by training, Wangchuk is widely known for pioneering water conservation projects in the Himalayas. Hours before being taken to hospital, he told supporters: “Smaller movements have brought down many governments in India… and here it is about education.”
His protest comes amid widespread anger over examination failures. Last month, 2.2 million aspiring medical students sat for a re‑test under tight security after the previous exam was scrapped due to a paper leak. A separate marking fiasco in high school tests further fuelled youth protests.
Opposition parties have voiced support for Wangchuk and student activists, while other demonstrations are planned at Jantar Mantar to coincide with the start of parliament’s monsoon session on Monday.
Former opposition lawmaker Priyanka Chaturvedi cautioned against exploiting Wangchuk’s protest, telling the CJP: “Do not make him a sacrificial lamb for political ambitions… we need you to live to fight another day.”
