Sonam Wangchuk reveals untold story of NEET protest: CJP ‘test’ ahead of hunger strike, ‘take a break or walk out’ moment | Today’s news

Activist Sonam Wangchuk shares the untold stories behind the massive protest held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the NEET examination irregularities. He revealed how he put the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leadership to a “test” before going on hunger strike and later recalled a “take a break or leave” moment amid pressure to end the fast.

Sonam Wangchuk went on a 26-day hunger strike during the NEET protest which led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Education Minister. The protest led by the CJP began on June 6.

The protest turned violent on 20 July when protesters and security forces clashed during a “Sansad Chalo” march organized to demand key reforms in the education system and Pradhan’s accountability and resignation.

Sonam Wangchuk reveals the untold story of the NEET protest

In an interview with Prakhar Gupta on the PGX podcast, Sonam Wangchuk said he had put the CJP’s leadership to a “test” before going on hunger strike. “I did something very interesting,” he said.

Wangchuk said he wanted to “test” how strong the CJP leaders’ motivation was. “I want whoever I support to have a share. The motivation (of protesting groups) should be so strong that my help will help them,” he said in the podcast.

New Delhi: Security personnel stand guard after teargas shells were fired to disperse protesters during a protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and expressing support for climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in New Delhi, Monday, July 20, 2026. (PTI Photo)(PTI93_20026020)(PTI)

“So I planned my calendar,” he added. Wangchuk said he told CJP leaders he would go to Switzerland for a week. “If you can handle this phase by yourself for a week, then I will go on hunger strike. It was like a test for them.”

“I told them that I will only go on strike if you can handle this phase on your own for one week, without a hunger strike,” Wangchuk said.

“My thing was in the oven…I thought I would support them if it went well, I wouldn’t if it went out,” Wangchuk said, explaining his “assignment” to the CJP.

“But when I came back, they held the fort even though the number of protesters at that time was very low…it was the best circumstances…the best recipe I could have supported,” he added.

“I appreciate that they (CJP) didn’t let it go… they were less and therefore needed help,” the activist said.

‘Take a break’: Wangchuk says CJP wanted to ‘get out’

Sonam Wangchuk said it was a “take a break or quit” moment for him when people pressured him to end the fast. He recalled that not everyone had high morale throughout the protest.

“There were one or two people who asked me how to get out of this…they said ‘we want to leave this place,'” he told the podcaster, adding that the size of the crowd affected the “mood” of the protesters.

**EDS: THIRD PARTY IMAGE** In this screenshot from a video released in late July 2026, Union Health Minister JP Nadda offers a drink to social activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk as Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh looks on during a break in Wangchuk’s 26-day strike, Guangchuk Indefinite Hospital. (Background via PTI photo) (PTI07_24_2026_000009B)(PTI)

“My condition worsened on the 12th and 13th,” Wangchuk said.

Wangchuk also shared how the CJP leadership was demoralized after the July 20 violence and asked Wangchuk to write an “exit” report. “The stage was vandalized…people were gone…they said there was no hope now,” he added.

The leadership asked Wangchuk to write a message, asking the protesters to “get a good rest now … we’ll see what to do tomorrow,” he said. Wangchuk said he even wrote such a message, but it never came out.

“But on July 21, people started coming back to protest,” which boosted CJP’s confidence. “On one side JP Nadda was coming and on the other side CJP was getting her confidence back,” Wangchuk said.

A Delhi Police bus damaged during clashes is seen near Janpath Metro station following a protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and expressing support for climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in New Delhi, Monday, July 20, 2026.(PTI)

Wangchuk also said he was under intense pressure, with many, including organizers, asking him to break the fast. “There was an atmosphere of needing a break or leaving…,” he said.

Wangchuk said opposition leaders had been contacted. He wanted to break the fast in the presence of both the opposition and the government (ministers) – “which is the nation”.

Many opposition leaders came. The government subsequently initiated communications with Wangchuk through intelligence officials. On the night of 21 July, Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at the hospital and urged him to end his hunger strike.

Wangchuk says the youth have done something remarkable

Wangchuk praised the young protesters for coming back despite facing police action during the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” protest.

“The youth have done something remarkable,” he said, praising those who returned after being lathi-charged.

He said the morale of the CJP leadership tends to rise and fall depending on the number of people present at the protest.

“Leadership looks at people’s faces and their morale sometimes rises and sometimes falls,” Wangchuk said. “When they left, it went down. When the young man came back the next day, their morale went up.”

Wangchuk said he supports the decision to continue the protest beyond July 20 because even if the resignation does not lead to immediate improvements in education, it represents responsibility for what happened.