Sonam Wangchuk ends hunger strike after govt talks offer
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Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Thursday night after receiving formal assurances from the central government.
Senior Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh were present as Wangchuk broke his fast following a day of intense high-level negotiations.
The breakthrough resulted from a four-hour meeting between Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister JP Nadda, and Minister of State Jitendra Singh, who convened to address the activist’s declining health and the intensifying student protests.
The administration decided to adopt a positive stance toward Wangchuk’s demands while making his medical well-being the top priority.
Following the home minister’s directives, Singh contacted Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, to guarantee the government’s commitment to the activist’s concerns and requested her help in convincing him to end the strike.
Later that evening, Nadda and Singh met Wangchuk at the hospital to personally deliver the government’s official letter of assurance.
The Union Ministers also invited the CJP delegation to participate in talks at a neutral venue on Friday. This offer addressed the CJP leadership’s earlier refusal to meet at JP Nadda’s private residence or office, as they had insisted on a neutral location or Jantar Mantar.
A primary demand from Wangchuk involved this formal dialogue between the Centre and protesters. The government informed Wangchuk that it plans to introduce a new Bill under the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) framework in Parliament next week, with the proposal expecting Cabinet approval today.
The government also signaled its willingness to address other concerns, including the dismissal of legal actions against peaceful student protesters. While reading the assurances at the hospital, Nadda said, “The government is positive on not registering cases against those protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and those who participated in the march to Parliament on July 20, 2026.”
The health minister confirmed that the administration has already pledged to hold Parliamentary discussions regarding education reforms and recent paper leaks. Nadda added, “Besides, the government is also positively considering suitable compensation for the suicide victims of the recent NEET paper leaks.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the development in a post on X, saying, “I urge Sonam ji to follow his daily routine as advised by the doctors and regain his weight as soon as possible.”
He also wrote, “I pray to the Almighty that Sonam ji remains healthy.” After breaking his fast, Sonam Wangchuk expressed his intention to return to Ladakh. He assured the visiting ministers that he would first engage with his student supporters to encourage them to trust the government’s promises.
Wangchuk noted that he would warn participants to avoid the influence of “anti-social elements” that could harm the movement. He further committed to advocating for peaceful engagement and urged his followers to remain patient as the dialogue process continues.
Source: NDTV (adapted)
