Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, on the second day of his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, urged supporters across India to turn the protest into a nationwide movement by observing a one-day fast in their own cities and villages if they cannot travel to the national capital.
Appeal for Nationwide Participation
In a video message shared by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, Wangchuk called on people to join the agitation physically or symbolically. “Namaskar. In support of education and the environment, in support of CJP and Ladakh, today is my second day of anshan on salt and water. Many people have joined here; you can also join. If you come here for one day of anshan, it will be very good,” Wangchuk said. He added, “Some people are doing it for three to five days. It is very good to show support. If you can’t come here, then in your state, city or village, observe a one-day anshan for education, better governance, a response from the government, and for the environment, air and water.”
Background of the Protest
Wangchuk began his indefinite hunger strike on Sunday in support of the CJP’s ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar, which has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations. Before commencing his fast, Wangchuk and Dipke visited Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. The hunger strike began with a two-minute silence, drawing students, youth, farmer leaders, and members of several Khap organisations to the protest site.
Wangchuk stated he was “compelled” to undertake the indefinite fast, arguing that peaceful protest had become the only democratic option after the movement’s demands remained unaddressed.
CJP's Demands and Allegations
The CJP has been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar since June 20, maintaining that the agitation seeks accountability over the alleged examination irregularities and demanding Pradhan’s resignation. Speaking to The Tribune on Sunday, Dipke said the immediate focus remained Pradhan’s resignation, adding that the organisation would unveil its next course of action only after that demand was met. He also alleged that around 500 farmers willing to join the protest had been placed under house arrest, a claim he shared on social media.
Dipke said the protest would also raise the issue of accountability in the electoral system, as the movement seeks to widen the conversation around governance and public accountability.
Shift to a Nationwide Movement
With Wangchuk now asking supporters to observe one-day fasts from their own states, cities, and villages, the agitation appears to be shifting from a protest centred at Jantar Mantar to a call for participation across the country while keeping its core demand unchanged. The CJP has not yet announced further steps beyond the hunger strike, but the broadening of the protest indicates a strategy to build national pressure on the government.
