- Sonam Wangchuk has ended his 26-day hunger strike after meeting with union ministers who provided written assurances regarding the demands of the protesters.
- Wangchuk was forcibly removed from a protest venue and taken to the hospital during his fast, where he lost 11kg.
- The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has vowed to continue protests until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
- Protests have spread to multiple cities, leading to the shutdown of metro stations and mobile internet services.
- Prime Minister Modi responded to the situation by urging Wangchuk to regain weight and announcing stricter actions against paper leaks.
- Wangchuk went on hunger strike to support the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which emerged as a movement against exam paper leaks affecting millions of students.
- The protests represent a significant challenge to Modi's government and have drawn tens of thousands of participants.
Sonam Wangchuk concluded his 26-day hunger strike on Friday, following discussions with union ministers, to support the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests demanding education reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.1256781112
Wangchuk stated, "In the presence of Union Ministers Sh. JP Nadda, Dr. Jitendra Singh and the senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh I finally broke my fast after 26 days." The CJP emerged as a satirical movement addressing exam paper leaks and has gained significant traction, with protests spreading across cities like Ranchi, Pune, and Kolkata.
The movement has mobilized tens of thousands, marking a significant challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government since 2014.13
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke expressed gratitude for Wangchuk's sacrifice, stating, "We are relieved and grateful that Sonam sir has ended his hunger strike after 26 days." However, he affirmed that protests would persist until Pradhan resigns, as the scandal has been linked to multiple student suicides.
The government has faced criticism for its response, including shutting down metro stations and blocking mobile internet services to curb protests. Modi acknowledged the crisis, asserting, "Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth!" and promised stricter actions against paper leaks.
“Wangchuk lost 11kg during the fast and broke it after the government gave written assurance no legal action would be taken against non-violent protesters. The protests have since forced closure of 16 metro stations and mobile internet in Delhi, even as Modi urged Wangchuk to regain his weight and announced stricter action against paper leaks.”
BBC
The Guardian
