Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday claimed that the Center had assured him that it would “favourably consider” the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as part of efforts to ensure accountability over the alleged leak of NEET papers.
In a letter addressed to Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, Wangchuk said the assurances were given during their visit to him in the hospital, where they urged him to end his indefinite fast.
He also said that the government has assured that it will consider adequate compensation to the families of students who died by suicide after the alleged paper leak, while urging the Center to ensure that no legal or retaliatory action is taken against the protesting students.
Wangchuk said he would only end his fast if he received such a guarantee, otherwise he would continue his hunger strike indefinitely.
According to Wangchuk, the ministers also assured him that the government would positively consider adequate compensation for the families of students who died by suicide after the alleged examination paper leak and would hold a meaningful discussion in Parliament to ensure accountability.
However, Wangchuk said he would end his hunger strike only if the government gave an “unequivocal assurance” that any student or protester who participated in the anti-NEET movement would not face punitive or retaliatory legal action.
“Therefore, I respectfully request an unequivocal guarantee from the government that none of the young protesters will face any punitive or retaliatory legal action for their participation in this movement. Their only ‘crime’ is raising their voices for a fair and accountable education system,” he wrote.
Wangchuk said about 65 members of parliament from across party lines wrote to him after the ministers’ visit, and several of them also met him in person and urged him to end his fast.
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I want to live. I want to get back to my students
“I want to live. I want to return to my students and to the education and work that has defined my life. But I cannot do so at the expense of the young people for whom I started this movement,” he wrote.
The activist also described the Chalo Sansad march on July 20 as peaceful despite what he called “atrocities and disproportionate use of force” by police. He expressed his hope that no legal cases, harassment or retaliatory measures would be brought against those who participated in the protest, and urged the government to refrain from using excessive force against the demonstrators.
Wangchuk said that if the government guaranteed protection to the protesters, he would end his fast “with the belief that the government has heard not only my plea, but also the aspirations of thousands of Indian youth.” Otherwise, he will be “forced to continue” his fast indefinitely.
