Voices from the opposition, the film industry rallied in support of Wangchuk

Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. File | Photo credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Even as his fast neared a critical stage on Thursday (July 16, 2026), Sonam Wangchuk’s plight attracted more voices of support, with the Jantar Mantar protest site seeing a massive surge in crowds as former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arrived at the venue.

Dimple Yadav, Samajwadi Party MP from Mainpuri, also visited Mr. Wangchuk and urged the Union government to “show some sensitivity” to the protest and open a dialogue with the activist. Ms Yadav was accompanied by other SP Lok Sabha MPs including Dharmendra Yadav (who represents Azamgarh), Mohibbullah Nadvi (Rampur) and Lakshmikant Nishad (Sant Kabir Nagar).

The Janta Cockroach Party (CJP) has planned a march to parliament on July 20, a demonstration Mr. Wangchuk has called on his supporters to attend.

The Congress, which has been holding its own rallies targeting National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) leak and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exam irregularities, kept its distance but broke its silence, with party general secretary (Organisation) and Lok Sabha MP KC Venugopal urging Mr Wangchuk to break the fast. The Congress “has been making this demand (after the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan) for more than a month and a half,” Mr. Venugopal said. “Mr. Wangchuk’s concerns are our concerns, as well as other opposition parties,” he added.

The Congress is scheduled to hold a ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ (student echo) rally in Dehradun on Friday (July 17, 2026) and the same issues will be raised there, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Deputy General Secretary A. Raja also met Mr. Wangchuk and three students who are on simultaneous strike nearby on Thursday (July 16, 2026). On social media platform X, Mr. Raja said he had “expressed DMK’s support” to the activist.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed concern over Mr Wangchuk’s condition. “Politics has its place, but there must also be room for humanity and compassion,” Mr Abdullah said, lamenting that “the government does not seem to be paying attention to these matters… We are also asking for justice”.

“The belief that with effort and talent anyone can surpass the children of the rich has started to take birth,” Mr Kejriwal said in a speech after meeting Mr Wangchuk. He reiterated the demand for Mr. Pradhan’s resignation and later added on X that the activist should replace Mr. Pradhan as Education Minister.

Several other personalities also added their voice in support of the movement. “From the millions of students whose honest efforts were invalidated with barely a shrug of the shoulders; to the millions more who stood and continue to stand against injustice… I see you. You are raising your voice for the best in us and I am honored to stand beside you,” actor Imran Khan said on Instagram.

Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray said he would stage a protest in Mumbai on Friday in support of Mr Wangchuk. “The government seems unwilling to accept moral or real responsibility for such serious failures”, said Mr. Uddhav Thackeray.

Actor Sonakshi Sinha posted a video on Instagram in support of Mr. Wangchuk. “Who is he doing it for?” she said. “It’s for the future of our children and those who lost their lives… I’m not ‘anti-national’.” Fatima Sana Shaikh, who starred in the movie Dangal, also gave her support. “We cannot wait until it is too late to listen,” Ms Shaikh said.

Supreme Court Bar President Senior Advocate Vikas Singh also met Mr. Wangchuk. “We need you alive, working and leading from the front,” Mr Singh said, urging Mr Wangchuk to break his fast. “Gone are the days when leaders or ministers accepted moral responsibility and stepped down when the occasion called for it,” he added.

CJP started as an online movement and gained more than 2 million followers on Instagram within days. Her demands played out at Jantar Mantar in recent weeks after founder Abhijeet Dipke launched a second protest following demonstrations in half a dozen other cities. As concerns grew about Mr. Wangchuk’s extended fast and more and more influential figures visited the site, crowds swelled from a few hundred to more than a thousand on Thursday (July 16, 2026).

Published – 16 Jul 2026 22:19 IST