HUNGER STRIKE BY SONAM WANGCHUK

SONUN WANGCHUK Demands accountability for NEET Paper leak and resignation of Education Minister via hunger strike

What is in the News?
Sonam Wangchuk is at the centre of national headlines following an indefinite hunger strike. He started the hunger strike on June 28, 2026, at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Having survived purely on salt water and losing significant body mass, he was forcibly removed by the Delhi Police from the Jantar Mantar protest site following High Court directions regarding his failing health. After 26 days of fasting, Sonam Wangchuk concluded the fasting on 23^rd July 2026 after Central government agreed on some of the demands in writing.

Context of the News
Soon after the emergence of the satirical online platform Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Wangchuk extended his support. He started a fasting protest seeking accountability from the central government for national examination paper leaks (specifically NEET and CBSE) and demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. On July 20, 2026, his fast sparked a massive real-world escalation as thousands of student supporters marching toward Parliament encountered heavy police blockades, station closures, and lathi charges.

Public opinion on Wangchuk is highly polarized, split into two sharply contrasting narratives.
His supporters project him as a technologist, a problem solver, a reformer, and a fighter for democratic values and justice. They appreciate his leadership in demanding accountability from the government.

His critics view him as a celebrity because of his extensive international connections and global accolades. His initiatives are viewed as having a political component. His father was a minister in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. His father was associated with Congress, and Wangchuk also has close linkages with the Congress party. Wangchuk has media visibility and access to senior government officials due to his celebrity status. His initiatives, including the recent fasting, are apparently aimed at the BJP-led central government, which is a political adversary to the Congress and other aligned opposition parties.

How to understand the News?
The CJP phenomenon was unexpected and not organic. It is not uncommon in Indian courts to hear critical and sometimes controversial remarks from sitting judges during adjudication. While dismissing a petition by an advocate who had filed a contempt petition against the Delhi High Court over delays in designating Senior Advocate titles, CJI Surya Kant criticized the petitioner for criticizing the system. He said, “"There are already parasites of society who attack the system, and you want to join hands with them? There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don't get any employment or have any place in the profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists, and other activists, and they start attacking everyone." These comments stirred controversy among the public and the youth in particular. An online reaction of establishing a parody organization by Abhijeet Dipke drew huge public support within hours. At present, more than 25 million people are following the social media accounts of CJP. The response caused disbelief among political parties, and many suspected a conspiracy and unseen players behind such a response. Many inferred the surprising support for CJP as indicative of leadership gaps and deficiencies in the leadership grooming process.

Sonam Wangchuk is a prominent social figure. His educational initiatives through the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) to improve the performance of dropouts, his involvement with Ice Stupas (artificial glaciers to conserve water), and sustainable solar mud buildings are widely appreciated. These initiatives are examples of impactful social interventions in the NGO sector.

Sonam Wangchuk is also a political personality. His public initiatives related to Ladakh autonomy and a fair examination system (in the context of leaked question papers of NEET) are political in nature. His association with Congress and its associated ecosystem is to be taken into consideration while assessing his political initiatives. The protests led by Wangchuk that demanded autonomy for Ladakh turned violent and caused national security concerns in government circles. Wangchuk was imprisoned under the National Security Act. Demanding accountability for the NEET paper leak and resignation from the education minister appeared to be natural reactions from an alert society and its leaders. However, the emergence of CJP and the alignment of Wangchuk and other leaders from the NGO sector with it indicated the involvement of politics around a real public concern. Support from political parties opposed to the governing establishment confirmed a political alliance.

Inadequacy in the approach of the Government. The demand for accountability for a serious lapse such as the NEET paper leak is in the public interest. Ideally, the government should proactively identify lapses, ensure accountability, and take measures to address the problem. The Government took swift action to identify the persons involved in the leak and initiated several measures to prevent leaks. The Government did not respond to the demand for resignation from the education minister. A call for a statement from the Prime Minister on the NEET paper leak was not considered. The Government followed legal directives in dealing with the fasting Wangchuk. The government did not proactively communicate its views to the public and demonstrate its engagement with the protesting public.

Protests may be propped up by anti-social and anti-national elements, as seen in neighbouring Bangladesh. The Opposition may be playing an anarchic game. If a political party or an agitating group is resorting to such tactics, it is the responsibility of the government to bring the relevant aspects to the notice of the public. Otherwise, such accusations remain within the perimeter of party politics and may be seen as a tactic of the Government to hide its failures.

The Opposition seizes an opportunity. The Opposition is playing its role of highlighting an alternate viewpoint on this issue. It is part of their duty to highlight the failures of the Government. It is seen that opposition parties are generally united in supporting the fasting by Sonam Wangchuk. Rallying around CJP and Sonam Wangchuk may be an opportunity seized by the opposition. It appears that the opposition is playing this game well within contemporary boundaries. The protests have succeeded in drawing the Government to follow-up actions. The Prime Minister has announced speedy judicial proceedings to punish the culprits.

Governments need to demonstrate swift action in the immediate aftermath of a systemic failure such as the NEET paper leak. When public and student protests appear to be growing, it is the responsibility of the Government to address the concerns of agitators. Resignation of the education minister is clearly one of those options. It is fair if the Government prefers another option. However, the Government cannot be seen as not doing enough or not being proactive in addressing the problem and engaging with the public. Partisan bickering is a distraction to good governance. Good governance suffers and quality public life is denied to the public when public affairs are managed by people who are not efficient. This can be addressed only when political parties approach leadership grooming with seriousness.