Sonam Wangchuk has made it clear from his hospital bed that he is not ready to call off his fast just yet. He was moved from Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram late Tuesday night after his health worsened, and it was there that Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh visited him with a request to end the hunger strike. Instead of agreeing, Wangchuk sent both ministers a sharply worded letter laying out firm conditions for the government to meet. He warned that his fast would continue indefinitely unless the threat of legal action against the protesting students is completely removed. He wrote that the future and welfare of the students matter to him far more than his own life, and made it plain that he will not bend under any pressure until that assurance is given.
What condition has Wangchuk set for ending his fast?
The central demand in his letter concerns the safety of the students. Wangchuk insists that none of the young people who took part in the Sansad Chalo march should face any action whatsoever. He wants the government to give a written assurance that no punitive or vindictive legal cases will be filed against the protesters. In his view, the only thing these young people are guilty of is raising their voice for a fair and transparent education system, nothing more. Until that written guarantee comes through, he is not willing to back down. He put it bluntly in the letter: "Without this guarantee, I will not withdraw my movement."
What was discussed when the ministers met him at the hospital?
Wangchuk's letter also lays out details of the conversation that took place at Medanta Hospital the previous night. According to him, the government indicated it would consider proper compensation for the families of students who died by suicide following the exam paper leak. There was also mention of holding a meaningful discussion in Parliament to fix accountability, including weighing the possibility of the Education Minister's resignation. Wangchuk said he hopes the government treats these issues with seriousness and does not let the voices of young people go unheard. For him, that assurance will only mean something once it is actually acted upon.
What did 65 MPs say in support of the students?
Referring to the Sansad Chalo march held on July 20, Wangchuk also questioned the extent of force used by the police. He noted that despite heavy-handed police action, the march remained entirely peaceful from start to finish. Wangchuk revealed that around 65 members of Parliament, cutting across political parties, had written to him urging him to end his fast. These MPs told him that he still has a great deal of work left to do in service of the country. Wangchuk admitted that he too wants to return to his students and to the field of education as soon as possible, but said he will never do so at the expense of the very young people for whom this movement began. The country will now be watching closely to see how the government responds in the coming days.
