Something really serious is happening at Jantar Mantar right now and honestly it deserves more attention than it is getting from mainstream media. Climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk has been on hunger strike for 19 days as of July 17,2026 — and the situation around his protest is getting bigger and more politically charged with every passing day.
Wangchuk started this agitation demanding accountability over NEET examination controversies. But what began as one man's protest has now pulled in farmer leaders,opposition politicians,celebrities and doctors raising alarm over his physical condition.
On July 17,farmer leader Rakesh Tikait arrived at Jantar Mantar with around 500 farmers in tow. That kind of solidarity is not small thing at all. Tikait's presence immediately reinvigorated whole agitation and demands started escalating — specifically for resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan .
The Cockroach Janta Party,which organized protest,posted on social media with line "jhukti hai sarkaar,jhukane wala chahiye!" which pretty much captures the mood at that site right now.
And then Congress finally broke its silence.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal reached out to Wangchuk urging him to end his fast,while also promising continued demands for Pradhan's removal. Venugopal emphasized lack of accountability in Modi government amid what he described as collapse of examination system. So Congress is walking careful line — not fully owning protest but not ignoring it either.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal went further than most. He shared stage with Wangchuk and openly stated,"Exam papers are being leaked constantly,day after day. There are irregularities in the papers and flaws in evaluation process." Kejriwal also warned that youth's anger over this issue could create real political consequences in upcoming elections. He even endorsed Wangchuk as replacement for Pradhan — which is quite bold position to take publicly.
Few key things coming out of this protest:
- Wangchuk's health is deteriorating badly — doctors report he has lost over 9 kg and his body has entered second stage of prolonged starvation according to attending physician Dr. Satish Lamba.
- Political support is growing across party lines with leaders including Sachin Pilot and Dimple Yadav joining the protest.
- Public personalities including stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and actors Swara Bhaskar and Prakash Raj have also visited Jantar Mantar to show solidarity.
Honestly,Dr. Satish Lamba's statement is the part that sits most uncomfortably. Second stage of prolonged starvation means severe complications are now genuinely possible if strike continues. This is not political drama at this point — this is one person's body paying real price for demanding government response.
And what makes whole thing more complex is that student suicides connected to NEET scandal are part of background to this protest . Kejriwal specifically referenced those deaths while speaking at Jantar Mantar . So weight of this agitation is not just about exam paper leaks in abstract sense — there are actual human lives already lost in this story.
Government has stayed quiet through all of this… no direct response to demands,no statement addressing Wangchuk specifically,no clear move toward accountability that protesters are asking for.
Whether government bends under this kind of pressure,or waits for momentum to die down,or something more serious happens to Wangchuk's health before anything changes… that question is just sitting there unresolved right now with no clear answer in sight
