Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike on Friday, according to reporting by Apnews. Wangchuk, 59, began his fast on June 28 in solidarity with India’s youth-led “Cockroach” movement, which has grown into one of the most sustained waves of public dissent against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in recent years.
Wangchuk Ends 26-Day Fast as Protests Persist
Despite the high-profile activist halting his hunger strike, demonstrators vowed to continue their demonstrations until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. The youth-led movement was sparked by alleged leaks in competitive entrance exams, notably the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which affected approximately 2 million students in May and has been linked to student suicides. The movement’s name references a remark by the country’s supreme court chief justice that compared some unemployed young people to cockroaches.
Negotiations and Government Assurances
In a post on X, Wangchuk stated that he broke his fast in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Dr. Jitendra Singh, along with senior leaders of the Apex Body of Leh Ladakh, after appeals from dozens of members of parliament and following a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country.
According to DW.com, Wangchuk received assurances from the government and parliament members of all political parties that the issue of accountability in the failing examination system will be discussed on the floors of the Indian Parliament. Additionally, he was told that families of students who committed suicide after the exam paper leaks would receive adequate compensation, and that no cases would be registered against students and young people who participated in mass protests in Delhi on Monday.
Following the conclusion of the fast, Prime Minister Modi urged the activist to follow doctors’ advice and regain the weight he lost during the 26 days without food, which surpassed Mahatma Gandhi’s longest hunger strike of 21 days.
Security Clampdown and Ongoing Demands
The protests have triggered widespread disruptions inside and outside government halls. Opposition parties have echoed the youth movement’s demands and disrupted the monsoon session of parliament. Meanwhile, authorities in Delhi tightened security around central areas, closing 16 to 17 metro rail stations and ordering telecom firms to block mobile internet services in the vicinity of the protest site at Jantar Mantar. Human rights groups viewed the measures as an attempt to curb protests and prevent further clashes, while the shutdowns also disrupted local shops and restaurants relying on digital phone payments.
The unrest follows clashes on Monday when tens of thousands of protesters marched toward Parliament, leading police to use tear gas, batons, and canes to disperse the crowds. Some protesters threw stones and plastic bottles, injuring a few officers, according to Delhi Police.
Ahead of scheduled talks at the Constitution Club between government ministers and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke alongside two appointed spokespersons, protesters rejected earlier government measures. Modi had previously announced plans to set up fast-track courts to prosecute exam leak cases and proposed legislation to crack down on the issue. However, CJP organizers dismissed the measures as failing to address core demands for government accountability, examination reforms, compensation for victims’ families, and the resignation of Education Minister Pradhan. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka criticized the government’s approach to the crisis, noting that protests would press forward.
We won’t let Sonam sir’s sacrifice go in vain,
said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Apnews, as demonstrators called for nationwide rallies in solidarity with students allegedly subjected to police brutality.
