Gitanjali Angmo has publicly questioned the medical findings and circumstances surrounding the hospitalization of her husband, activist Sonam Wangchuk.
The dispute highlights the tension between the Indian government and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) over the Ladakh water dispute. Wangchuk's deteriorating health during an indefinite hunger strike has become a focal point for supporters who fear police pressure and medical opacity.
Wangchuk's protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi entered its 12th day on July 1 [2]. At that time, he was on his fourth day of a hunger strike [3]. By the fifth day of his fast, reports indicated his health had worsened, with blood sugar levels dropping to 60 mg/dL [1, 4].
Angmo raised concerns regarding the medical handling of her husband's condition and demanded independent tests to verify the findings. The CJP said the hunger strike would continue despite the health risks involved.
Contradictory reports emerged regarding the timing of Wangchuk's removal from the protest site. Some reports suggested hospitalization occurred shortly after the first few days of the strike, while other accounts state he was forcefully picked up and hospitalized on day 21 of his hunger strike [5].
Supporters, including Sagarika Ghose and Yogendra Yadav, have extended their support to the movement. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and Angmo have pointed to the role of government officials in the situation. The CJP said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is directly responsible if Wangchuk's health continues to decline during the strike.
Wangchuk's movement seeks urgent action on the Ladakh water dispute, using the hunger strike to draw national attention to the region's environmental and political grievances.
“Gitanjali Angmo has publicly questioned the medical findings and circumstances surrounding the hospitalization of her husband.”
The dispute over Sonam Wangchuk's medical status reflects a broader lack of trust between regional activists and the central government. By demanding independent medical verification, the CJP is attempting to prevent the state from using health concerns as a justification to forcibly end the protest and silence the demands for Ladakh's water rights.
