New Delhi: Activist Sonam Wangchuk said he decided to end his 26-day hunger strike after receiving written assurances from the Center as he fears an imminent crackdown on protesters and wants to prevent violence, recalling the shooting of youths in Ladakh on September 24, 2025.
In a YouTube video posted late Friday night, Wangchuk denied claims that he had reached an agreement with the government. He stressed that his primary goal is to ensure that students participating in the protests are not exposed to violence or legal consequences.
He clarified that he did not demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during the negotiations because his priority was to prevent any legal action against the protesters. Wangchuk expressed confidence that Pradhan would eventually resign.
“At around midnight last night, I was told that the ministers had agreed to give assurances in writing. I was in a hurry because the situation in Delhi was like this; there was apprehension that there might be a major crackdown. I was watching the reports and remembered September 24, 2025, when police and CRPF personnel mercilessly opened fire on the youth of Ladakh. I was afraid something similar would happen here. I felt that if I ended my fast and called for peace, maybe the situation could be bad,” he said. widespread,” he said.
Responding to criticism about ending his fast in the presence of Union ministers, Wangchuk stated that those questioning his decision were not aware of the conditions he faced after being transported from the protest site.
“If I had to make a deal, would I have stayed hungry for 26 days? Couldn’t I have made a deal sitting in an air-conditioned room instead of fasting in the Delhi heat?” He said.
Wangchuk claimed that after he was transferred to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18, he was treated “like a prisoner”, alleging that he was denied freedom of movement, prevented from meeting visitors and was not allowed to keep a mobile phone or laptop.
“It was as if I was in North Korea,” he said, adding that even after the Delhi High Court allowed him to move to Medanta Hospital, he was allegedly prevented from leaving Safdarjung Hospital for several hours.
He said Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at Medanta Hospital and agreed to look favorably at compensation to the families of students who died due to suicide following the alleged NEET paper leak and a debate in Parliament on accountability in the examination system.
However, he insisted that he would not end his fast without a written guarantee that no legal action would be taken against peaceful protesters.
“They initially agreed to compensation and discussion in parliament, but they were not ready to guarantee that no cases would be filed against the protesting students. They only gave a verbal guarantee. I insisted on a written guarantee and did not back down until they agreed,” Wangchuk said.
He reiterated that his primary concern was to protect students rather than targeting Pradhan’s resignation.
“My focus was that the students should not suffer. My main concern was legal action and FIRs. I did not think it was necessary for me personally to secure the resignation of the minister,” he said, expressing confidence that the ongoing movement would continue to press this demand.
Wangchuk stated that he had hoped to end his fast in the presence of MPs, members of the Sarsour Janta Party and representatives from Ladakh, but claimed that many of them were not allowed to meet him before the ministers arrived late at night.
“The greatest sadness in my heart is that my colleagues, students and representatives who came to support me were not able to come when I broke my fast,” he said.
Wangchuk ended his hunger strike shortly after midnight on Thursday after the Center gave a written assurance that it was positive about non-registration of cases against peaceful protesters, would hold a detailed discussion in Parliament on examination reforms and paper leak, and was positively considering compensation to the families of students who died by suicide after the alleged NEET paper leak.
He has been on an indefinite fast since June 28 after joining the KJP-led agitation demanding accountability for alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
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