Sonam Wangchuk broke his fast on Friday (July 24, 2026), said Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, co-convenor of the Leh Apex Body. He broke the fast in the presence of two Union Ministers, Mr. Dorjay said.

He broke the fast on certain conditions. The government gave a written assurance that cases against students would be taken back if they were not violent, said Mr. Dorjay. The government also gave a written assurance that they will consider compensation for suicide victims, he said.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday urged supporters of the ongoing students’ movement to remain peaceful, saying he was pained by reports that “anti-social elements” were trying to provoke violence elsewhere while the protest at Jantar Mantar remained “peaceful”.

Marking the 26th day of his indefinite hunger strike, Wangchuk said in a post on X, “Peace and only peace is my way.” “While at Jantar Mantar the protests remain peaceful, I’m pained to learn that elsewhere some antisocial elements are taking advantage of the peaceful protests to provoke violence,” he said.

“No matter what the other side does our response must only be flowers. Please keep this tradition at all costs,” Wangchuk added.

His appeal came days after the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march, during which the Delhi Police stopped thousands of protesters from marching towards Parliament by using tear gas and baton charges. Protesters have also alleged the use of pellet guns and tasers.

In the aftermath of the crackdown, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) alleged that attempts were being made to portray the student movement as violent and to link it with incidents elsewhere in the national capital. The allegations were rejected by the police.

Earlier in the day, Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo also defended the protesters, saying it was “deeply painful” to see students being portrayed negatively.

In another post on X later in the day, Angmo praised the conduct of the young protesters.

“Watching India’s Gen Z over the past few days has filled me with hope,” she said, adding that they had “looked after strangers like family, shared food and water, cleaned and swept their own protest sites, cared for the elderly, sung Jana Gana Mana and songs of hope together, stayed disciplined under immense provocation” and kept the movement alive through “countless acts of selfless service”.

“If this is the generation we have raised, India’s future is in safe hands. Indian Gen Z… you are not just the future of this country. You are role models to the world,” she said, while thanking parents for raising “compassionate, responsible and courageous citizens”.

The CJP-led agitation began on June 20, demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Wangchuk, who joined the agitation on June 28 and has been on an indefinite hunger strike since then, is currently admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. He has offered to end his fast if the Centre assures that no punitive action will be taken against peaceful protesters who participated in the movement.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) allowed activist Sonam Wangchuk, currently on a hunger strike in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest in Delhi, to be shifted to his hospital of choice, Medanta Hospital.

CJP protest in Delhi: Follow LIVE updates on July 21, 2026

The court was hearing an appeal filed by Mr. Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo, challenging a Single Judge’s refusal to allow his transfer to a private hospital of his choice.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the Centre had no objection to shifting Mr. Wangchuk to Medanta, describing it as a reputed hospital. However, he stressed that Mr. Wangchuk should continue to remain under medical supervision and should not be discharged except on the advice of Medanta’s doctors.

Police whisked away Mr. Wangchuk from the protest site on Saturday (July 18, 2026) and was admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. Ms. Angmo moved the Delhi High Court for moving him out of Safdarjung Hospital, which a Single Judge Bench of the court had rejected.

(With ANI inputs)

Activist Sonam Wangchuk was under round-the-clock medical supervision on Wednesday as he completed the 18th day of his hunger strike, with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke accusing the government of being “cruel” for refusing to engage in dialogue with the protesters.

The CJP’s protest at Jantar Mantar against alleged irregularities in the NEET examination entered its 26th day on Wednesday (July 15, 2026).

According to the medical bulletin issued by the CJP, Mr. Wangchuk remains “very weak” and is under 24-hour medical vigilance.

His weight has fallen to 57.15 kg, a drop of 400 grams in the last 24 hours, taking his total weight loss since the beginning of the fast to 8.9 kg. His blood pressure was recorded at 105/76, blood sugar at 80 mg/dL, and oxygen saturation at 97%, while hydration was described as fair.

Doctors said he remained conscious and mentally alert but required continuous monitoring.

“Day 18 of Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike. The man who chose to put his own life on the line to seek justice for students who died by suicide has received nothing but silence from the government. The government is not just unaccountable; it is also cruel,” Mr. Dipke said on X.

Mr. Dipke said the questions that deserved answers were why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was refusing to engage in dialogue and why Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had still not been held accountable.

“Instead of asking why opposition leader hasn’t supported CJP, or why every CJP team member isn’t on a hunger strike alongside Sonam sir, ask the questions that actually matter,” he said.

“Why is the Prime Minister refusing to engage in a dialogue? Why is the Education Minister still not being held accountable? These are the questions that deserve answers, not distractions that only help shield those in power from accountability,” he said.

The CJP also announced a one-day mass hunger strike on July 16 in solidarity with Mr. Wangchuk and students protesting at Jantar Mantar.

The outfit that was born online renewed its appeal to people to join its “Chalo Sansad” march on July 20, demanding a transparent examination system, accountability for repeated paper leaks, and Mr. Pradhan’s sacking.

At a separate stage, the All India Students’ Association (AISA) leaders Neha, Manish, and Aameen continued their fast despite worsening health.

The Left-backed organisation said a delegation comprising academics Nivedita Menon, Aditya Nigam, Anuradha Chenoy, and Radha Kumar visited the students.

Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj, MLA Atul Pradhan, and MLC Man Singh Yadav also extended support and urged people to join the July 20 Parliament march.

On Tuesday (July 14, 2026), Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal appealed to Wangchuk to end his fast, while veteran actor Zeenat Aman urged the government to initiate dialogue with the activist.

Former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela was among those who visited Jantar Mantar on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) to express solidarity with Wangchuk and the CJP protesters. Actor Swara Bhaskar also joined the protest. The CJP thanked Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for extending support to the agitation.

Mr. Dipke also appealed to supporters to change their display pictures on social media as a mark of solidarity with Mr. Wangchuk. The CJP has claimed that more than 1.3 lakh people have registered their support through its missed-call campaign for the Parliament march.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday (July 13, 2026) backed the protest of Cockroach Janta Party and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk over alleged irregularities in competitive exams, saying parties should support the agitation without bringing in their political affiliations.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, should also back the agitation, Mr. Thackeray said at a press conference in Mumbai, while appealing to Mr. Wangchuk to withdraw his hunger strike, saying his life was precious.

The Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over alleged examination irregularities has been underway for 24 days now.

It has been demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who died by suicide since the NEET paper leak in May this year. A re-exam was held last month.

The CJP’s protest began on June 20, while educator and activist Mr. Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28 and has been on an indefinite hunger strike since then. Mr. Wangchuk’s health has deteriorated, with doctors on Sunday reporting a drop in his blood pressure and a total weight loss of 7.8 kg since the fast began.

The outfit has announced a march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session.

Mr. Thackeray said parties should back the CJP protest “without any political flag”. Even Rahul Gandhi should support the agitation, the former Maharashtra Chief Minister said.

There was nothing wrong in asking Union Education Minister Pradhan to resign, the Sena (UBT) leader said. On July 20, when the CJP undertakes a protest march to Parliament in New Delhi, the Sena (UBT) will also stage a protest in Maharashtra to extend support to the cause, he said.

The Sena (UBT) MPs will raise this issue during the monsoon session, Mr. Thackeray said. He also appealed to Mr. Wangchuk to withdraw his hunger strike, saying his life is precious to the country, as the government doesn’t seem to care about the protest.

Mr. Thackeray also said he will go to Nagpur on July 18 for the ‘Ram Raksha’ protest, which he launched earlier this month against the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.