Sonam Wangchuk begins hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, six students join

Environmentalist and educator Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike on Sunday (June 28, 2026) afternoon at the Jantar Mantar here, where the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has been protesting since June 20, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for multiple irregularities in the examination system. 

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Prior to the hunger strike, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had said on social media platform X that he had visited Rajghat with Mr. Wangchuk to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Soon after that, Mr. Wangchuk began his hunger strike, seeking justice for students and calling for the Minister’s resignation. 

The Delhi Police had cut off the water and sanitation facilities at Jantar Mantar after Mr. Wangchuk announced his strike, Mr. Dipke alleged. The police termed the allegation “falsehoods and misinformation”. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi said online that the Delhi Police, being a law enforcement agency, had no role to play in providing or maintaining these facilities. 

Many others, including farm leaders, joined the protest on Sunday. At least six student activists have joined Mr. Wangchuk in the hunger strike, demanding Mr. Pradhan’s resignation. 

“I am not alone. I have been told that some youth are also going on hunger strike. Wherever you are, I salute you,” Mr. Wangchuk said from the dais. 

The All India Students’ Association (AISA), which previously expressed solidarity with the CJP’s protest, on Sunday said six students associated with the AISA have decided to go on the hunger strike, too. 

The students include Danish Ali, currently the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union joint secretary; Hrishikesh, president, Barak Hostel, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Aameen, former Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi student council member; Neha, AISA all-India president; Manish, AISA U.P. president; and Deepak, the AISA Delhi University unit’s vice president. 

“Students have called for the strike in complete solidarity with the call by Sonam Wangchuk, and will fight shoulder to shoulder in the struggle for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, repeal of NEP (National Education Policy) 2020, and scrapping of the National Testing Agency,” the AISA said in a statement.