Sonam Wangchuk hospitalised after Delhi Police ended his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.
Protest leaders expanded demands, seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation.
Wangchuk's health deteriorated after 20-day fast, with weight falling to 56.55 kg.
Demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in Delhi escalated sharply on Saturday after Delhi Police forcibly removed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and admitted him to hospital, prompting protest leaders to raise their demands to include the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, which has been leading the agitation for nearly a month, told supporters that the movement would not only continue but grow larger in the wake of what he called a despicable act. "Until now, we were demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, but after this, we will now demand the resignation of Narendra Modi," he said, announcing that he was commencing his own indefinite hunger strike with immediate effect. He confirmed the planned march to Parliament on 20 July would proceed as scheduled, urging supporters to gather at Jantar Mantar in force.
The protest began over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination paper leak, with demonstrators originally seeking only the resignation of Education Minister Pradhan. Wangchuk joined the agitation on 28 June and began his hunger strike the same day.
Wangchuk hospitalised on court order
Police removed Wangchuk from the protest site citing a Delhi High Court directive and advice from medical experts over his deteriorating condition. DCP Sachin Sharma told ANI the transfer was carried out without any use of force. Safdarjung Hospital confirmed he was weak from prolonged fasting and dehydration.
Doctors had warned on Friday, the twentieth day of the strike, that his body had entered a third and critical stage of starvation in which organ involvement becomes possible. His weight had dropped to 56.55 kg, a fall of 350 grams in a single day, with blood pressure recorded at 108/68 and blood sugar at 70 mg/dL. He remained mentally alert, according to his medical team.
Wangchuk's wife issued a statement from Safdarjung Hospital saying nothing should be administered to him without the consent of herself, his family and his doctors. Before his removal, Wangchuk told supporters he was weak on the outside but strong within, calling on them to preserve their energy for the march to what he described as the temple of democracy.
[With agency inputs]
