Sonam Wangchuk calls end of fast beginning of accountability

Sonam Wangchuk described the end of his 26-day hunger strike as the beginning of accountability, saying he received assurances from the Centre and MPs on examination reforms, compensation for affected families and protection for peaceful protesters before ending his fast

New Delhi: Sonam Wangchuk on Friday termed the end of his 26-day hunger strike the “beginning of accountability”, saying he decided to call off the fast only after receiving assurances from the government and MPs across parties on his key demands for examination reforms and protection of peaceful protesters.

The educator-activist also said he extended his fast by two days because negotiations with the Centre were continuing.

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“End of hunger… Beginning of accountability,” Wangchuk posted on X, where he shared a video explaining his decision to end the fast, which he began at Jantar Mantar on June 28 in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ongoing protest demanding accountability for paper leaks, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, and reforms in the examination system, among other demands.

According to the post, Wangchuk ended his fast after 26 days upon receiving assurances from the government and MPs from all political parties that the issue of accountability in the “failing” examination system would be discussed in Parliament.

The government also assured that the families of students who died by suicide following the alleged NEET-UG paper leak in May would receive adequate compensation, and that no cases would be registered against students and youth protesting peacefully.

In the video, Wangchuk also disclosed that he extended his hunger strike by two days because negotiations with the Centre were continuing.

“Negotiations were on for these assurances for the last two days, for which I had to extend my hunger strike. I could have extended it further if required,” he said.

Wangchuk also shared the text of the assurance letter that Union Health Minister JP Nadda read out at the hospital before he broke his fast.

“The government is positive on not registering cases against those protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and those who participated in the march to Parliament on July 20,” the letter said.

It also said that the government had “already assured threadbare discussions to find solutions to paper leaks and educational reforms for examinations in Parliament”, and was “positively considering suitable compensation for the families of students who died by suicide following the recent NEET paper leaks”.

Wangchuk ended his hunger strike late on Thursday night in the presence of his wife Gitanjali Angmo, JP Nadda and Union Minister Jitendra Singh at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.