Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Monday shared the conditions under which he would end his ongoing fast, ahead of the proposed “Sansad Chalo” march, with his list making no mention of any demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan‘s resignation.
In a post on social media titled, “WHEN WILL I END THE FAST….!”, Wangchuk said that despite concerns over his health, he would continue his fast until after the Parliament march and would end it only under specific circumstances.
Sharing a handwritten note, Wangchuk said he would end his fast on July 20 if any one of the following conditions was met:
- The government takes accountability for the “recent failures in the education system”, including question paper leaks.
- He and the leadership of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) are able to reach Parliament, where Members of Parliament and leaders from various political parties assure them that the issues they have raised will be taken up in Parliament.
- If his health or other circumstances prevent him from participating in the march, MPs and leaders from different parties visit him at the hospital and provide the same assurance.
Wangchuk concluded the letter saying his “freedom of movement, speech, and all communication are restricted at the illegal detention”.
Meanwhile, three AISA activists, Neha, Manish and Aameen, ended their 23-day hunger strike earlier in the day following an appeal from a delegation comprising parliamentarians, civil society members and eminent personalities, who urged them to shift the struggle from a hunger strike to Parliament and public campaigns while assuring them that their demands would be pursued during the Monsoon Session.
The CJP has been demanding accountability for alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the examination system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
While Pradhan’s resignation remained a key demand throughout the protest and Wangchuk’s hunger strike so far, it found no mention in the climate activist’s demands to end the fast.
The “Sansad Chalo” march coincides with the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Also Read: CJP protest: 3 students on hunger strike with Sonam Wangchuk end indefinite fast
Parliament march updates
Thousands of protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar on Monday morning despite heavy rain and unprecedented security arrangements across central Delhi, as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) pressed ahead with its proposed “Sansad Chalo” march demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities.
Delhi Police sealed several roads leading to Parliament, barricaded the Jantar Mantar protest site from all sides and imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, while Janpath, Patel Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat and Seva Teerth metro stations remained closed as part of security measures.
