Our hunger strike was a challenge to the government: AISA Delhi Minister Neha

Secretary AISA Delhi Neha. File | Photo credit: PTI

Six of them were on hunger strike, a short distance from the main stage at Jantar Mantar, surrounded by their colleagues from the All India Students Association (AISA). A slight aside from where the spotlight has been on activist Sonam Wangchuk. Three of the six were still at the scene after Mr. Wangchuk was forcibly admitted to hospital by the Delhi Police on July 18. On July 25, when Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation, they were still there at Jantar Mantar.

Also read | Police crackdown on AISA march in Patna demanding resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan

They sat there for 23 days. Doctors took their blood pressure, performed EKGs, and pricked their arms for blood tests, all out there among the heaving masses gathered around them.

AISA is a student organization of CPI(ML) Liberation. Cockroach Janta Party has reached out to student organizations. Apart from AISA, other left-wing student bodies including the Students Federation of India (SFI), All India Students Federation (AISF) and Krantikári Yuva Sangathan (KYS) were also involved in the protests. Many in leftist circles have questioned the political affiliation of this newly formed organization — the Cockroach Janta Party — born on social media. Many dismissed it as a “pressure valve” that would work to diffuse discontent.

Neha, AISA’s Delhi secretary, said her organization was also cautious. Ms. Neha was among the three AISA activists who went on hunger strike for 23 days. But all these concerns were set aside for two reasons. One said, “if there are those of us around who are experienced in managing mass movements like these, we will not allow anyone to take over the program.” Secondly, according to her, this protest had a great potential to reach young people, who until now have only been served by communal politics. Mrs. Neha added that the left-wing student unions contributed to the organizational cost of the protest.

Doubts faded day by day as the footfall increased on the small stretch of road bordered by police roadblocks. “This protest was bigger than any other organization,” Ms. Neha said.

Although her stomach was empty, her heart was full of people who came to her during those 23 days. “Many of them came to me with the excuse that I have to starve because they voted for the BJP. Many even cried.” The experience that stayed with her is that of a NEET student’s father who died by suicide crying. “He said he voted for the BJP and made all his family members vote for the BJP,” Ms Neha said.

Her phone hasn’t stopped ringing since July 25, 2026, and amid countless conversations, Ms. Neha, looking back on those 23 days, said the thought of giving up never crossed her mind. “It was never about self-sacrifice. It was more of a challenge to the government. The question was: Will the government let us waste slowly rather than force their minister to resign?” Ms. Neha expresses her belief that Mr. Pradhan’s resignation is only the first of many. The protest at Jantar Mantar may be over, but the movement is not, she said.

Other left-wing student unions also contributed to the decline. SFI All India President Adarsh ​​M. Saji said his organization’s idea was to shift the protest beyond Jantar Mantar. “We have organized protests in 24 states,” he said. The two SFI activists went on hunger strike from July 18, the day Mr. Wangchuk was picked up, to July 20, when protesters marched on parliament.

Jantar Mantar, which has seen a steady flow of MPs, has also seen several visits from Left MPs. “We had no confusion about the ultimate goal of this protest. Although many political parties expressed doubts, we participated wholeheartedly. It was clear that it went beyond sloganeering; it was an agitation to reclaim the democratic space that was ceded in the last 12 years,” said CPI(M) Rajya Sabha leader John Brittas.

Published – 26 Jul 2026 22:12 IST