NEW DELHI – Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk was moved to a hospital by Delhi Police on Saturday after completing 20 days of a hunger strike, as authorities cited concerns over his deteriorating health.
The 59-year-old engineer and education campaigner began his indefinite fast on June 28, demanding the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in medical entrance examinations.
Hundreds of students had joined Wangchuk’s protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in recent weeks, while additional demonstrations were organised by student groups and online campaigners supporting his demands.
Delhi Police said the decision to transfer Wangchuk to hospital was made in compliance with directions from the Delhi High Court and on the advice of medical experts.
According to police, some protesters attempted to obstruct the move, leading to brief commotion at the protest site before Wangchuk was taken for medical treatment. Authorities also appealed to demonstrators to vacate the area peacefully.
Video footage from the protest site showed police personnel carrying Wangchuk away from the stage as supporters gathered around him.
Earlier this week, the Delhi High Court directed government doctors to monitor Wangchuk’s health daily after a petition warned that his prolonged fast had placed his life at serious risk. The court emphasised that preserving his life was of paramount importance and instructed authorities to provide all necessary medical care.
Before being taken to hospital, Wangchuk said even small public movements had brought significant political change in India and described the campaign as a fight for reforms in the country’s education system.
The protest comes amid widespread criticism of India’s examination system. Last month, around 2.2 million candidates were required to retake the country’s medical entrance examination after the original test was cancelled following a paper leak.
The controversy, along with separate issues involving high school examination results, sparked nationwide protests by students and drew support from several opposition leaders.
