Jantar Mantar turns the hunger strike

The first day goes like a breeze. The next day there is unusual energy. From the third day, memories of the food – its smells and textures – appear in the mind. Hunger comes in waves, but students say it is the pervasive heat that has been overwhelming in the capital’s Jantar Mantar, which has become a hub for hunger strikes over the past four days.

Also read | Sonam Wangchuk starts hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, six students join

Center stage is occupied by activist Sonam Wangchuk, who cuts a solitary figure lying on the stage of the Cockroach Janata Party, amid a continuous stream of speeches and visits from various political leaders. On the left, screened from the crowd, are six activists of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), who are also on their fourth day of hunger strike. A little further on, nine people huddle together, the third batch of hunger strikers, now on the third day.

Spectators and media move in and out between this triangle of protesters. The only thing the three have in common is their demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, taking responsibility for the CBSE exam irregularities and repeated leaks in competitive exams, including the NEET medical foundation exam, which was postponed after a paper leak in May.

Altered rhythms

For Ameen, a third-year PhD student in urban planning at Ambedkar University and an AISA activist, this is his first hunger strike. “On the third day, I started dreaming of biting into pyaaz paranthas (onion paranthas) that my mother makes and mangoes,” he said. But on the fourth day, according to him, the body starts to get used to the rhythm. Along with this comes increased self-awareness as doctors regularly monitor strikers. Health charts of six students – detailing their blood pressure, heart rate, weight and blood sugar – adorn the AISA camp.

AISA president Neha, who is in her third year of PhD in performance studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, celebrated her 29th birthday on June 20 when the protest sit-in began at Jantar Mantar. According to her, the body takes a while to get used to the fact that food is no longer part of its daily cycle. For her, it’s the memory of biting into an apple and the juice filling her mouth, and the photos of the food that flash by as she tries to fall asleep amid the blaring speakers and oppressive heat.

Long movement

“It’s not hunger, it’s monotony,” he concludes. Having to stay put to conserve energy is, in her assessment, far worse than denying food. But corporal punishment must continue, he says, because the government has left students no choice.

Ms. Neha is cautious in her comments about the visible division among the protesters, with each group sitting apart from the others. “It is not for me to say why all the hunger strikers are not sharing the stage. I can only speak for myself. We (AISA) are protesting against the paper leak from 2021. Our movement has been long,” she said. He points out that they have a cordial relationship with the third set of hunger strikers, who often come to their side to charge their phones and chat.

Protecting future generations

The nine protesters – strangers to each other until they all met at Jantar Mantar on June 20 – decided to join the hunger strike on Monday, a day after Mr Wangchuk began it. They have no previous affiliation to any political group and not all of them are students.

Aditya Singh from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh is an advocate at the Allahabad High Court. The reason he is here is to “protect future generations from a similar fate” as his generation. In this rebellion, it is not the government but the wafting aroma of samosas that he finds more challenging. “If Dharmendra Pradhan is adamant about resigning, then I think we are also adamant about not eating food. Anyway, we are younger than him, our liver and kidneys are working better,” Mr Singh said.

Sitting next to him, Sonu from Madhubani in Bihar scrolls through his phone where food delivery apps advertise burgers for ₹50. Holding up the screen, he quipped, “This is BJP’s IT cell at work. It’s a conspiracy to derail our protest,” drawing laughter from everyone gathered around him.

Published – 01 Jul 2026 19:49 IST