PIL filed in Delhi High Court over Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike: ‘duty of government to ensure health and safety of citizens’ | Today’s news
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking urgent intervention and medical assistance for activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose health has deteriorated due to his ongoing hunger strike.
The PIL, filed by activist lawyer Rakesh Kumar Saini, seeks directions to the Central and Delhi governments to take Wanghcuk to hospital and force-feed him, the Bar and Bench said.
Wangchuk’s health deteriorated rapidly, he lost 8.5 kg, and if he continued his hunger strike, he could lose his life within two days, the plea said.
According to the petitioner, if Wangchuk dies, it would be a great shame for the country and the world.
“The simple thing to do is to take him to a government hospital and force-feed him the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals through liquid diet which are necessary for the survival of the human body,” the petitioner sought, according to the Bar and Bench.
Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike enters day 18
Wangchuk, whose hunger strike entered the 18th day on Wednesday, is suffering from muscle loss and is in “tremendous pain” but has refused to end his protest at Jantar Mantar.
The 59-year-old activist joined the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest in Delhi over the NEET issue and went on a hunger strike on June 28.
Even as concerns about his health mount and calls from various quarters to end the hunger strike, Wangchuk has refused to pay attention.
Political leaders, including Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, among others, asked the activist to end the fast.
Veteran actor Zeenat Aman appealed to the government to open a dialogue with Wangchuk, saying India should not “sit by and watch one of its greatest minds being sacrificed”.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said on Tuesday that Wangchuk was losing muscle mass and was in “tremendous pain”, adding that the activist had lost 8.5kg since the fast began.
“He started losing muscle mass and is in excruciating pain. Like everyone else, I begged him to end the fast. He calmly replied, ‘Don’t ask me to end the fast. Ask the government why they aren’t even having a dialogue,'” Dipke said in a post on X.
