Will end fast if Centre assures no action against students: Wangchuk to Nadda

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday, 22 July, said he would end his indefinite hunger strike if the Centre gives an unequivocal assurance that no punitive or retaliatory action would be taken against students and youth who participated in the protest against alleged examination irregularities.

He also said that Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh had assured him that the government would consider his two other demands too.

In a letter addressed to the two ministers, Wangchuk said that Nadda and Singh, who visited him at the Medanta Hospital on Tuesday night, assured him that the government would positively consider providing adequate compensation to the families of students who died by suicide following the NEET paper ‘leak’, and holding a meaningful discussion in Parliament to ensure accountability for exam ‘irregularities’, including considering the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

“Therefore, I respectfully request an unequivocal assurance from the government that none of the young protesters will face any punitive or retaliatory legal action for participating in this movement. Their only 'offence' has been to raise their voice for a fair and accountable education system,” Wangchuk wrote.

“If such an assurance is given, I shall end my fast with faith that the government has heard not only my appeal but also the aspirations of lakhs of young Indians. In the absence of such an assurance, I will be forced to continue my fast indefinitely,” he wrote.

Referring to the July 20 ‘Chalo Sansad’ march, Wangchuk said, “The entire nation and the world witnessed their patience and commitment to democratic protest.”

He said around 65 MPs from different political parties had written to him, while several others met him personally urging him to end his fast.

“They have all urged me to end my fast, reminding me that I still have much work to do in the service of our nation. I agree with them. I want to live.

“I want to return to my students, to education, and to the work that has defined my life. But I cannot do so at the cost of the very young people for whom this movement began,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, a delegation of opposition MPs, including Vivek Tankha (Congress), John Brittas (CPI-M) and Sagarika Ghose (TMC), met Wangchuk at the Medanta Hospital and appealed to him to end his fast.

Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 after joining the Cockroach Janta Party-led agitation demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Pradhan.

He is currently in Medanta hospital after being shifted from Safdarjung hospital following a Delhi High Court order.