Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, began an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday [1].
The protest follows the removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk from the site by Delhi Police. This escalation highlights growing tensions between civil activists and law enforcement over the right to public protest in the capital.
Dipke said he announced the fast after Wangchuk was taken to a hospital [2]. Wangchuk, 59, had been on his own hunger strike since June 28 [3]. The removal of the activist and the subsequent police crackdown on the Jantar Mantar protest site served as the catalyst for Dipke's decision to fast.
"I'm starting an indefinite hunger strike," Dipke said [4].
During the announcement, Dipke appeared emotional and broke down on camera following Wangchuk's removal [5]. Despite the distress, he urged other protesters to remain steadfast in their cause. He described the current moment as the time to act, stating the fast was beginning "right now" [6].
Dipke framed the action as a necessary response to the police intervention. He said the movement would not be deterred by the removal of its leaders.
"Don't back down, this movement will only grow," Dipke said [7].
The indefinite nature of the strike means Dipke will not set a specific end date for his fast, tying the conclusion of his protest to the resolution of the grievances regarding the police crackdown, and the treatment of Wangchuk [1, 2].
“"I'm starting an indefinite hunger strike,"”
The transition of the hunger strike from Sonam Wangchuk to Abhijeet Dipke suggests a strategic effort to maintain a continuous physical presence of protest at Jantar Mantar. By utilizing a relay-style fast, the movement aims to sustain public and media attention on the police crackdown even when primary leaders are incapacitated or removed by authorities.
