Indian environmental activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk has explained the reason for breaking her 26-day hunger strike demanding reforms in the NEET question paper leak and examination system. She said that the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is certainly an important issue, but taking any legal action against the protesting students was not her top priority.
\nIn a video message posted on YouTube on Friday (July 24) night, Wangchuk said that she decided to end her hunger strike before Dharmendra Pradhan resigns to ensure the safety of the protesters.
\nThe 59-year-old Wangchuk had been on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since June 28 in support of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) movement. The movement demanded an investigation into allegations of irregularities in competitive exams, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. She broke her hunger strike shortly after midnight on Thursday. Earlier, the central government had given written assurances that no case would be filed against the protesters, that there would be a detailed discussion in Parliament on exam reforms and question leaks, and that compensation would be considered for the families of students who committed suicide after the NET question leak.
\nHowever, Wangchuk faced criticism for ending the hunger strike without Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. In response, he said, “I do not think it is my personal responsibility to get the minister to resign. My main objective was that students should not be harmed and that no FIR or legal action should be taken against them.”
\nHe said that during the discussions, he also raised the issue of Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation with the central ministers. However, they asked for more time on the matter. According to Wangchuk, “I believed that the government could not last long like this. Eventually, they will have to accept their resignation. So, I did not press this demand any further.” He also said that the ongoing agitation would continue to demand the resignation of the education minister.
\nRejecting allegations of ‘compromise’
\nWangchuk also rejected allegations of collusion with the central government. \u201cIf there was a compromise, would I have gone on a hunger strike for 26 days? Instead of going hungry in the scorching heat of Delhi, I could have done it in an air-conditioned room.\u201d
\nWangchuk said that Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at Medanta Hospital on Thursday night. There, they gave positive assurances about compensation for the families of students who committed suicide and a discussion on accountability of the examination system in Parliament.
\nHowever, he made it clear that he would not break his fast until he got a written assurance that no case would be filed against the peaceful protesters. Wangchuk said that initially the government wanted to give only a verbal assurance. But he was adamant on demanding a written commitment and the government finally agreed to give it.
\nHe also said that he had expected MPs, CJP leaders and representatives from Ladakh to be with him when he broke his fast. But many of them were not allowed to meet him. “My biggest pain is that my comrades, students and MPs, who came to support me, could not be present when I broke my fast,” Wangchuk said.<\/p>\n
Source: NDTV<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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