‘Every Life Is Precious’: Delhi HC Directs Centre To Regularly Examine Sonam Wangchuk’s Health

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed Centre and Delhi government to regularly monitor the health of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a prolonged hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that the life of every citizen was precious and said the authorities must take all possible medical steps to safeguard Wangchuk’s health.

Centre Assures Daily Health Monitoring

The court issued the directions after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, assured the bench that Wangchuk would be examined daily by government doctors and medical specialists.

Mehta told the court that any medical intervention deemed necessary by the doctors, based on their assessment of Wangchuk’s worsening condition, would be carried out without delay.

Wangchuk has been fasting for 19 days as part of a protest organised by the Cockroach Janata Party at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The group is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations across the country.

Wangchuk joined the demonstration on June 28, eight days after the CJP announced that its members would continue their sit-in at Jantar Mantar until Pradhan stepped down.

The CJP was launched on May 16 by Boston University graduate Abhijeet Dipke as a satirical reactionary outfit following a remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. It subsequently developed into a wider youth-led movement, both online and on the ground, centred on alleged irregularities in major national examinations.

Several opposition leaders and more than 1,800 members of civil society, academia, the arts and activist groups urged Wangchuk to end his hunger strike in a letter issued on Tuesday.

The signatories included Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Arundhati Roy, Nivedita Menon, Jean Drèze, Lalita Ramdas and Kavita Srivastava.

The People’s Union of Civil Liberties also appealed to Wangchuk on Wednesday to withdraw his fast, while expressing support for the CJP and its continuing protest.