Sonam Wangchuk hunger strike: Delhi High Court asks Center to respond to plea on deteriorating health

Activist Sonam Wangchuk during her 18-day hunger strike along with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipek, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and NEET paper leak, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 15, 2026. | Photo credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) sought responses from the Center and the Delhi government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking urgent intervention to protect the health of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia asked the Center and the Delhi government to respond to the plea by tomorrow (July 16, 2026) due to the “urgent” nature of the issue.

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Lawyer and social activist Rakesh Kumar Saini filed the petition claiming that Mr. Wangchuk’s health had deteriorated after several days of fasting and urged the authorities to take immediate steps to protect his life.

Mr. Saini relied on a newspaper report published in The Hindu on July 14 titled “Fasting Student Hospitalized, Wangchuk loses 8.25 kg as strike continues” to seek directions to the Center and the Delhi government to provide proper medical attention to Mr. Wangchuk.

Mr. Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 at Jantar Mantar in support of the Cockroach Janta Party demanding action on issues related to the country’s education system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

“The government cannot allow the crime of ‘Aiding suicide’ § 108 BNS, 2023 to be committed, failure on the part of the government would be practically tantamount to committing suicide,” the lawsuit states.

Saini said the government must provide proper medical care “even if forcibly to ensure his good health and save his life”.

“For this, the simple thing that can be done is to take him to a government hospital and force feed him the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals through liquid diet which are essential for the survival of the human body,” the plea added.

Published – 15 Jul 2026 12:54 IST