Wangchuk Begins Hunger Strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar

Synopsis

On June 28, 2026, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk began an indefinite hunger strike at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar, as part of the demands of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) which began from June 20. The protest calls for the resignation of Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan for alleged irregularities in competitive exams, such as the NEET medical entrance test. The demonstration brought hundreds of students, farmer leaders and citizens together at the site and captured a lot of attention in the country.

Wangchuk Begins Hunger Strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar

The events at Jantar Mantar had a personal touch for Priya Sharma, a NEET aspirant from Patna who has appeared for the examination twice but failed to crack it. The engineer from Ladakh and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk sat in the fast, and it felt like someone was listening, he said.

Sonam Wangchuk, a climate activist, on Sunday started an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar to protest against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation amidst allegations of irregularities in competitive exams such as the NEET.

On the eve of the fast, Wangchuk and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke visited the Rajghat where they paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. Protests started with a two-minute silence by the meeting.

Why Wangchuk Chose to Join

The activist made the connection between his decades of educational work and his decision to fast. I have been forced to be here, I am not here happily, I have been here for 40 years – since I was a student – and when some of the youngsters get on their feet on the issues with education how can I be silent?" he said to the gathering.

In March 2026, Wangchuk was released from Jodhpur prison after being detained for almost six months under the National Security Act for his role in the Ladakh statehood movement.

The Campaign and its demands for the CJP

The CJP protest started at Jantar Mantar on 20th June after complaints of irregularities in the examination system, such as the NEET exam. The movement has been calling for the government to act and hold them accountable.

On Sunday, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke shared a post on X, stating that multiple farmers' leaders of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab were being house-arrested to keep them away from Jantar Mantar. The All India Students' Association (AISA) members also announced they would join in the hunger strike in solidarity with Wangchuk.

Repeated controversies over competitive examinations over the past few years have taken the wind out of students' sails, and accountability needs to be discussed to ensure that students' futures are protected, demonstrators said.

The government has yet to make a formal response to the protest's demands, as of Sunday evening.