Environmentalist and educator Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike on Sunday (June 28, 2026) afternoon at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi, where the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has been protesting since June 20, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for multiple irregularities in the examination system. Wangchuk’s hunger strike seeks justice for students and calls for the Minister’s resignation. Prior to the hunger strike, Wangchuk and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
The Delhi Police had allegedly cut off water and sanitation facilities at Jantar Mantar after Wangchuk announced his strike, but the police have denied the allegations, stating that they have no role in providing or maintaining these facilities. Many others, including farm leaders, have joined the protest, with at least six student activists from the All India Students’ Association (AISA) joining Wangchuk in the hunger strike. The students, including Danish Ali, Hrishikesh, Aameen, Neha, Manish, and Deepak, are demanding Pradhan’s resignation, the repeal of the National Education Policy 2020, and the scrapping of the National Testing Agency.
Wangchuk has expressed his support for the students, saying that he is not alone in the fight and saluting the youth who are joining him in the hunger strike. The AISA has expressed its support for Wangchuk’s call and has vowed to fight alongside him in the struggle for students’ rights.
