Sonam Wangchuk said he will end his indefinite hunger strike if the government guarantees no punitive action against NEET student protesters [1].

The demand highlights the tension between student activists and the Indian government regarding the accountability of the national medical entrance exam system. Wangchuk is leveraging his public platform and physical health to secure legal protections for young citizens who protested on Sansad Marg and at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

Wangchuk, a Ladakh-based climate and education activist, said his terms in letters addressed to Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Minister Jitendra Singh [1]. The activist has been fasting at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon [2].

According to the activist, the hunger strike began June 28, 2024 [3]. He said the government must provide an unequivocal assurance that no legal or retaliatory action will be taken against students who participated in the ‘Sansad Chalo’ protests [2].

Wangchuk said the students' only offence was raising their voices for a fair and accountable education system [4]. He believes that the students should be protected from retaliation for demanding systemic reforms.

"I will end my fast only if the Centre assures that no legal or retaliatory action will be taken against the young protesters," Wangchuk said [2].

He said that he and his supporters are prepared to end the hunger strike once the government provides this specific guarantee of no punitive action [5].

“The students' only offence was raising their voices for a fair and accountable education system.”

This standoff underscores a broader conflict over the right to protest and the administration of medical education in India. By linking his hunger strike to the legal status of student protesters, Wangchuk is attempting to transform a personal protest into a collective legal safeguard, potentially preventing the state from using criminal charges to deter future student-led activism.