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Sonam Wangchuk Lists 3 Conditions To End Hunger Strike

On the morning of July 18 - the 21st day of Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike - the police removed him from the site and took him to Safdarjung Hospital.

Sonam Wangchuk called his hospitalisation at Safdarjung Hospital an "illegal detention"
  • Sonam Wangchuk will end hunger strike if three conditions are met by the government
  • He demands accountability for education failures, especially NEET paper leaks
  • Political leaders must assure raising the paper leak issue in Parliament
New Delhi:

Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for more than 20 days, has agreed to end his fast today only if his three conditions are fulfilled.

In a handwritten letter shared from what he described as his "illegal detention" at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital, Wangchuk said his first condition is if the government takes accountability of the alleged "failures" in the education system - especially the recent NEET question paper leaks. His second condition is if political leaders assure him that the paper leak issue would be raised in the Parliament.

In his third demand, Wangchuk said top political leaders must visit him at the hospital and give assurance of the other two conditions - if his health and other factors do not allow him to be a part of the Parliament march today.

He signed of the letter saying his "freedom of movement, speech, and all communication are restricted at the illegal detention".

Wangchuk, an educator, had been demanding greater transparency and accountability in the education system. Over the years, he has staged many protests and hunger strikes over issues related to Ladakh and education. He joined the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)'s protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on June 28, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leaks, and began a hunger strike.

Also Read: "From Illegal Detention": Sonam Wangchuk's Message Ahead Of Parliament March

However, on the morning of July 18 - the 21st day of his strike - the police removed him from the site and took him to Safdarjung Hospital. The Delhi Police's action came a day after doctors described Wangchuk's condition as an emergency with a fear of his organs failing and the Delhi High Court asked the government to do whatever it could to save his life.

Delhi High Court on Sonam Wangchuk's hospitalisation

The climate activist's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, had approached the Delhi High Court on Sunday seeking to move Wangchuk to a private hospital.

The court, however, refused an interim relief on her request, noting that the government was "well within its rights" to shift him to the Safdarjung Hospital since he did not admit himself to hospital despite his failing health.

"Since doctors of the hospital are closely monitoring him and gave him oral medicine with his consent, it cannot be said that force is being used or his autonomy is being violated...No interim orders are required to be passed at this stage," Justice Mini Pushkarna said.

Angmo is likely to challenge the order before a double-judge bench and seek an urgent hearing today, senior advocate Vivek Tankha told NDTV.

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