'I will continue my fast': Sonam Wangchuk condemns police brutality against CJP protesters in handwritten letter

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is currently admitted to Safdarjkung Hospital in Delhi, has refused to end her hunger strike. On the 23rd, Wangchuk published a handwritten letter informing that he would continue the fast until the youth leaders were allowed to meet with members of parliament.

He called on the government and the police to resolve the situation by allowing students to present their grievances before parliament and expressed hope that accountability would be ensured in the education system.

Wangchuk expressed hope that the government would “solve the responsibility of the Minister of Education before that.”

“Seeing the brutality with which the peacefully protesting youth are being treated, I have decided to continue the fast until the youth leaders are allowed to meet the MPs at Sansad Bhawan or I am allowed to meet them here at the hospital,” Wangchuk wrote in a handwritten letter.

Wangchuk said he was “touched and moved by how the youth remained peaceful despite the provocations” and appealed to both the government and the police to resolve the issue by simply allowing students to present their complaints to parliament, either on Monday or the following day.

“I hope that the government will correct the responsibility of the Minister of Education before that,” he added.

After Wangchuk’s decision, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke told Jantar Mantar supporters that the move was prompted by “police brutality”. “Sir Sonam said that if the youth of the country come to Jantar Mantar, they will break their fast. But because of police brutality, they will continue their fast,” Dipke said.

Wangchuk’s statement came hours after Union Minister JP Nadda met CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka in Delhi. During the meeting, CJP representatives submitted a list of demands to the government, including fixing responsibility for irregularities in national competitive examinations, including NEET-UG.

The Outfit’s chief spokesperson Saurav Das claimed that Nadda had assured them that there would be no further “raid” at Jantar Mantar.

What are the CJP requirements?

The CJP says her protest is centered on concerns about the country’s education system. The group is demanding sweeping reforms, stricter accountability for exam paper leaks and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

“We met JP Nadda twice. During the meeting we stated our three demands. First, that Sonam Wangchuk be released immediately… Second, we demand that Dharmendra Pradhan resign; he should either be removed from the cabinet or resign voluntarily. The protest will continue until his resignation is secured. Third, we demand compensation ₹1 crore for the families of NEET aspirants, of whom more than 20 lost their lives. We have approached JP Nadda regarding these demands,” Das told ANI.