Delhi Police moved activist Sonam Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday, June 27, after a prolonged hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.
The incident highlights the tension between civil protest and state intervention in India, as the activist sought to draw attention to systemic issues within the national education system.
Wangchuk was protesting alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). He had been on an indefinite fast to demand reforms and accountability regarding the examination process. Police intervened and transferred him to the hospital, citing a medical emergency caused by the length of his fast.
Reports on the exact duration of the protest vary. One source said Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike for 20 days [1], while another report listed the duration as 21 days [2]. The disagreement over the timeline reflects the intensity of the protest's final stages before the police intervention.
During the protest, the activist faced significant hardships. Allegations surfaced that the Delhi Police denied him basic facilities at the Jantar Mantar site, including a portable toilet [3]. These claims suggest a strategy of attrition by authorities to discourage the continuation of the fast.
The transfer to Safdarjung Hospital ended the immediate physical presence of the protest at the site. Police officials oversaw the action as part of a medical necessity protocol, though supporters of the activist said the forceful removal was an attempt to silence the dissent regarding the NEET exams [2].
Wangchuk remains under medical supervision as the debate over the examination irregularities continues to spark public discourse across the country.
“Sonam Wangchuk was forcefully taken to Safdarjung Hospital after a prolonged hunger strike.”
The forceful removal of Sonam Wangchuk underscores the precarious nature of high-profile hunger strikes in New Delhi. By citing medical emergencies, the state can effectively terminate a protest without officially banning it, while the denial of basic sanitation facilities suggests a tactical effort to make prolonged dissent physically unsustainable.
