Sonam Wangchuk says he will stay alive till July 20 amid hunger strike

Sonam Wangchuk said he would stay alive till July 20 as his indefinite hunger strike entered its 20th day. Doctors warned his condition had become critical, while he urged supporters to join the proposed Parliament march despite growing health concerns

New Delhi: Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Friday asserted that he would “stay alive till July 20 at any cost”, even as his indefinite hunger strike entered its 20th day amid a warning from doctors that his prolonged fast had reached a critical stage.

The Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar over alleged examination irregularities entered its 28th day, with Wangchuk urging people to ensure a massive turnout for the outfit’s proposed march to Parliament on July 20.

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Addressing supporters at the protest site, Wangchuk acknowledged his weakening physical condition but said his resolve remained unshaken.

“I am weak from the outside but very strong inside. I am sure all of you are strong from the inside, and outside too. We need this energy for July 20, when we will take out a peaceful march to Parliament. We will go together and present our plea in the temple of democracy,” he said.

“I will stay alive till July 20 at any cost. If you don’t come and July 20 is not successful, I will come back as a ghost,” he said in a lighter vein, drawing cheers from the gathering.

On Thursday, doctors attending to Wangchuk warned that his condition had entered a critical stage due to the prolonged fast and that the next phase could be alarming, with the possibility of organ damage if the hunger strike continued.

Wangchuk, however, refused to call off the fast, saying that ending it without any response from the government would send a wrong message. He maintained that the focus should now be on making the July 20 Parliament march a success.

The issue has also reached the Delhi High Court, which directed the authorities to monitor Wangchuk’s health daily and provide medical assistance if his condition deteriorates.

Meanwhile, the CPI(ML) Liberation-affiliated All India Students’ Association (AISA) said the condition of its members Neha, Manish and Aameen, who are also on an indefinite hunger strike at a separate stage at the protest site, had reached “severe stages”.

In a statement, AISA said Aameen was at risk of hypovolemic shock due to dehydration, Neha’s random blood sugar level had fallen to a dangerous 49 mg/dL, and Manish had lost more than 10 per cent of his body weight.

“However, students are determined to remain in solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk until the government faces its crimes,” the organisation said.

The CJP has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rs 1 crore as compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide over alleged examination irregularities. The outfit has called for a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, coinciding with the opening day of the Monsoon Session.

The CJP protest began on June 20, while Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28 and has remained on an indefinite hunger strike since.