Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has appealed to people across the country to join his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, or observe a one-day fast in their own cities and villages in solidarity with the ongoing movement.
Sonam Wangchuk began his fast on Sunday alongside the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and seeking greater accountability in education.
In a video message shared by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, Wangchuk called upon citizens to participate in the protest. "Today is my second day of Anshan on salt and water. Many people have joined here, and you can also join. If you come here for one day of Anshan, it will be very good," he said. He urged those unable to travel to Delhi to organise similar symbolic protests in their own localities. "If you can't come here, then in your state, city or village, observe a one-day Anshan for education, accountability, the environment, air and water," Wangchuk appealed.
Before beginning the hunger strike, Sonam Wangchuk and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke visited Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
Addressing protesters, Sonam Wangchuk said India's education system required urgent reforms and argued that the resignation of the Education Minister would be the first step towards restoring accountability. "No developed nation has achieved progress without investing in quality education. India cannot become a Viksit Bharat without strengthening its education system. Our movement seeks a course correction in education, and the Education Minister's resignation is the first step towards achieving that," he said.
Earlier, Sonam Wangchuk had announced that he would launch an indefinite hunger strike if the government failed to respond to at least one of two key demands—education reforms and greater accountability for Ladakh's long-pending demands relating to democracy, environmental protection and preservation of its culture. "There are two demands. One concerns education and accountability, and the other concerns Ladakh's democracy, culture and environment. If accountability is shown on even one of these issues, I will not need to go on a hunger strike," he had said before commencing the protest.
Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that basic facilities at the protest site had been withdrawn after Wangchuk began his fast. "Delhi Police has cut off sanitation facilities at Jantar Mantar after Sonam Wangchuk announced his hunger strike. Despite repeated requests highlighting his age and health concerns, the police is not cooperating," Dipke claimed in a post on X.
The protest continues at Jantar Mantar, with demonstrators demanding reforms in the examination system and accountability from the government over recent examination-related controversies.
