End of Hunger, Beginning of Accountability!

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has become the cynosure of the entire nation across party lines and age groups because he sat on an indefinite hunger fast on June 28 as a mark of protest against the government over the NEET fiasco, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The marathon strike officially ended after 26 days last night despite the fact that the Minister has not yet been removed from the post and the protests didn’t completely end.

Reportedly, the decision followed after several negotiations and assurances from senior Union ministers. Wangchuk had been fasting in support of student protests over alleged exam irregularities, including recent NEET paper leaks.

Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Dr. Jitendra Singh met Wangchuk at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram alongside senior leaders of the Apex Body of Leh Ladakh to break the fast. The resolution comes after persistent talks from lawmakers across the political spectrum, with over 65 Members of Parliament either visiting him or signing appeals urging him to conclude his protest.

In his message from the hospital bed, Wangchuk noted that his decision was reached after rigorous negotiations on various points and to prevent potential national unrest.

He informed that the government gave written guarantees that a comprehensive discussion on examination leaks and systemic reforms will take place on the floor of Parliament in the coming days.

Additionally, Union Ministers assured that families of students who died by suicide following recent NEET paper leak controversies will receive adequate compensation from the government.

Another key promise made to Wangchuk was the explicit commitment that no legal cases or police action will be taken against students and youths who participated peacefully in the massive demonstrations at the national capital.

Wangchuk has appealed to citizens across the country to maintain strict vigilance and ensure that all efforts remain entirely non-violent. He added that a detailed explanation of the negotiated conditions would soon be shared in a dedicated public video message.