The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led protest at Jantar Mantar entered its 13th day on Thursday, with growing concern over activist Sonam Wangchuk's health. His blood sugar level dropped to 60 mg/dL and blood pressure remained low on the fifth day of his indefinite hunger strike.
Health Update and Government Responsibility
In a health update posted on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said Wangchuk's condition was continuously deteriorating and held the government responsible for any untoward development. "Sonam Wangchuk's health is continuously deteriorating. His sugar level has dropped to 60 and blood pressure is also low. If anything happens to Wangchuk, the government will be responsible for it," Dipke wrote. He reiterated his demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
Wangchuk's Appeal for Noise-Cancelling Earphones
Despite health concerns, Wangchuk posted on X saying, "I am still fine, but it's very noisy here," while making an open appeal for a pair of discontinued wired Bose QuietComfort 20 noise-cancelling earphones. He said he had lost his pair during travel, was willing to pay an appropriate price for an unused one, and clarified that he was looking specifically for wired earphones rather than Bluetooth models.
New Initiative: Chai Pe Charcha with Cockroaches
As the agitation continued, Dipke announced a new initiative titled "Chai Pe Charcha with Cockroaches," intended to gather suggestions from protesters on "how we can make this movement better and bigger."
Other Protesters and Support
Alongside Wangchuk's fast, six students associated with the All-India Students' Association (AISA) continued their indefinite hunger strike from a separate stage at the protest site. A day earlier, AISA had said the health of the fasting students was worsening, claiming that JNUSU Joint Secretary Danish's blood sugar level had fallen to 61 mg/dL, while Aameen and Deepak Kumar Verma had also been advised by doctors not to continue their fast because of health concerns. The protest was also joined by Nikhil Dey, founder member of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS).
Alleged Police Action Against Protest Library
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday alleged that Delhi Police personnel removed books and assaulted AISA students who had set up a makeshift library at the protest site for supporters and visitors. He claimed that books on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Bhagat Singh were thrown away and demanded action against the officers involved, including suspension of the concerned ACP Ajay Sharma.
Dipke also alleged that students were physically assaulted and questioned the police over the incident in posts on X. He wrote, "ACP Ajay Sharma and his team threw away the books, which included books on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Bhagat Singh and assaulted students for setting up library. We demand the immediate suspension of ACP Ajay Sharma for insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Bhagat Singh."
