Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for 19 days, against alleged irregularities in NEET and other exams, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Thursday, July 16, 2026.
Sonam Wangchuk Live Health Updates: Educational and environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike demands resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET-UG paper leak He entered his 20th day on Friday, with doctors warning that his health has reached a critical stage and could deteriorate further if the fast continues.
The warning came as opposition leaders, including former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav, visited Jantar Mantar to express their solidarity with Wangchuk and the youth-led protest.
Wangchuk quickly refuses to cancel
Despite growing concerns about his health, Wangchuk remained steadfast in continuing the protest.
He said that ending the fast without any response from the government would send the wrong message. Instead, he urged his supporters to promote the Sarsour Janta Party’s proposed parliamentary rally scheduled for July 20.
Wangchuk, along with several students, was leading the agitation at Jantar Mantar. Student organizations including Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), All India Students Association (AISA) and Students Federation of India (SFI) are also participating in the protest.
Wangchuk health update
According to the latest medical bulletin issued by Dr Satish Lamba, Wangchuk has lost more than nine kilograms since he began his fast on June 28 and now weighs 56.9 kilograms, news agency PTI reported.
“After depleting glucose reserves, the body consumes fat. After that, the muscles start consuming it. His ketone level reached 3+, and after improving hydration, it dropped to 2+. His uric acid is high, which indicates muscle consumption,” he said.
The doctor warned of the next stage of deterioration, saying: “The next stage could be worrying. Organs could be affected. We are keeping him under vigil 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and we hope he does not reach this stage.”
He also called for intervention, saying: “I urge the government to intervene as soon as possible because he is a precious jewel and we do not want to lose him. If his organs are affected, it could be very worrying for us.”
Opposition leaders offer support
Kejriwal joined the protesters on Thursday and reiterated his demand for Pradhan’s resignation. He also proposed Wangchuk’s name for the position of Federal Education Minister.
Addressing the gathering, the AAP chief urged the Center to respond to the demands of the protesters.
“Listen to the youth, the movement and Sonam Wangchuk; otherwise, after three years, you (the central government) will face a fate similar to that of 2014,” Kejriwal said.
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, one of the prominent faces of the 2020-2021 farmers’ movement, also visited the protest site and extended his support to the movement.
Congress supports the request
The Congress also supported Pradhan’s resignation demand while Wangchuk appealed to call off his hunger strike due to his deteriorating health condition.
Meanwhile, the Congress has simultaneously launched its own campaign, ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’, led by Rahul Gandhi against alleged examination irregularities across the country.
Congress General Secretary (Organization) KC Venugopal said in a post on
“We share Wangchukji’s pain and anger, especially at the lack of accountability within the Modi government – over the collapse of the examination system in particular,” he added.
Appealing to Wangchuk to end his fast, Venugopal said: “Given his health condition, we appeal to Wangchuk to end his fast. His concerns are our concerns and those of other opposition parties as well. Rest assured, we will continue to confront the Modi government and demand the resignation of the education minister.”
Delhi High Court orders daily monitoring
Amid concerns over Wangchuk’s health, the Delhi High Court ordered authorities to monitor his condition clinically every day.
A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed, “The life of every citizen is precious and the government authorities must make all efforts to save it.”
The court also ordered that any medical intervention recommended by government doctors must be provided without delay.
The directives came during the adjudication of a public interest litigation brought over concerns about Wangchuk’s health deteriorating during prolonged fasting.
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17 Jul 2026 at 08:03:32 IST
Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike Live: Dimple Yadav visits protest site, urges Center to open dialogue
Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike Live: Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav on Thursday visited the Jantar Mantar protest site and appealed to the Center to deal with the protesters, saying the government should show greater sensitivity to the concerns raised.
“The CJP will decide the breakfast date. I want to tell the government to show some sensitivity and start dialogue. Stop being insensitive. You are talking about Sanatan Dharma. Without compassion and empathy, Sanatan Dharma cannot survive,” she told reporters.
Yadav also claimed that the BJP was upset with the support the movement received from the youth, pointing out the blocking of the CJP’s X handle.
“The BJP was shaken when the program got so much support from the youth. If our youth are determined, no one can defeat them. Akhilesh Yadav and the Samajwadi Party stand in solidarity with the youth,” she said.
Referring to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s appeal to Wangchuk to end his hunger strike, she said the demand was made because the BJP “does not believe in satyagraha”.
“Many students have committed suicide, but not a single BJP MP has tweeted a condolence message. This shows how insensitive they are,” she said.
17 Jul 2026 at 07:54:16 IST
Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike Live: BJP’s Manoj Tiwari links Jantar Mantar protest to AAP
Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike Live: BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Thursday criticized Sonam Wangchuk’s ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar after AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal extended his support to the hunger strike.
Alleging that the protesters were allied with the Aam Aadmi Party, Tiwari alleged that the agitation was aimed at hampering the country’s development.
“Sonam Wangchuk and all others (in the Jantar Mantar protest) are an extension of AAP, and they are all collectively trying to slow down the country’s progress,” Tiwari said.
17 Jul 2026 at 07:43:26 IST
Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike Live: Raj Thackeray Urges PM Modi to Intervene
Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike Live: MNS chief Raj Thackeray has extended his support to Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike, expressing concern over the activist’s deteriorating health and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene to address the NEET exam controversy.
“It is very sad to say this, but it seems that the government has decided to sacrifice Sonam Wangchuk and, by extension, the protest space in this country. After all, if this government can remain a silent spectator while Lord Ram’s treasury is looted, what impact can a citizen’s protest have?” Thackeray said.
Supporting the protesters’ demand for accountability, he said, “There is nothing unreasonable in this demand,” while alleging that screening-related irregularities had become a recurring feature during the BJP’s tenure.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Thackeray said the importance of remaining in office for a long time lies in taking decisive action on pressing issues. “Right now, there is a lot of celebration of the fact that you have been Prime Minister longer than Pandit Nehru. This is just a number. It only takes on real meaning if you take a firm stance and decisive action on issues like these. Only then will the next generation remember you. Otherwise, what use is a statistic that yields nothing for the country?” he wrote.
