Opposition MPs to meet Sonam Wangchuk at Medanta, urge activist to end 25-day fast

An opposition MP delegation will visit activist Sonam Wangchuk at Medanta Hospital to request he end his 25-day hunger strike. MPs pledged to raise student concerns over exam irregularities and education sector accountability in the Monsoon Session of Parliament

New Delhi: A delegation of opposition MPs will visit Sonam Wangchuk at Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital to persuade him to end his 25-day fast, and assure him that issues relating to the alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and accountability in the education sector will be raised in Parliament, sources said on Tuesday.

The delegation will urge the activist, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the last 25 days, to end his fast after assuring him that the Opposition will take up the matter inside Parliament, the sources said.

---

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas will be among those who meet Wangchuk, according to the sources.

Earlier, Wangchuk said he would end his fast if Members of Parliament and leaders of political parties assured him that the issue of accountability in the education sector would be taken up during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

However, following the police crackdown on protestors during the Cockroach Janta Party’s “Sansad Chalo” march, the activist announced that he would continue his fast until such an assurance was given.

The climate activist joined the CJP-led agitation at Jantar Mantar on June 28 and began an indefinite hunger strike in support of students demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Wangchuk, who was forcefully shifted by the Delhi Police to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18, has been moved to Medanta Hospital following a Delhi High Court order.