'Will stay alive until July 20': Sonam Wangchuk vows he will come back as a ghost instead if the Parliament march doesn't succeed

Twenty days without food, and Sonam Wangchuk is still cracking jokes.

Addressing supporters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Friday, the activist said he intended to hold on until 20 July, when he plans to lead a march to Parliament. Then he added, with a straight face: "I will stay alive by any means until July 20 so that I can march to Parliament with all of you. And if our march doesn't succeed on July 20, then I'll come back as a ghost!"

The Cockroach Janta Party, which has been spearheading the protest, shared the remark on social media. "Sonam Wangchuk hasn't lost his sense of humour even during such a difficult time in his life. Let's march to Parliament!" it posted. In a separate post, the movement added: "India is awakening!"



What the Janta Mantar protest is about

Wangchuk joined the agitation on 28 June and has been on an indefinite fast since. The central demand is the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET medical entrance examination. The Cockroach Janta Party has now been at it for over 25 days.

The NEET controversy erupted after widespread reports of a paper leak, which led to around 2.2 million aspiring medical students having to sit a re-examination last month under tight security after the original test was scrapped.

Health deteriorating, Wangchuk unmoved

Doctors monitoring Wangchuk have warned that his condition is becoming critical. He has lost more than nine kilograms since the fast began and now weighs 56.9 kg. His body has moved past burning fat reserves and is now consuming muscle tissue, with his uric acid levels elevated as a result.

Dr Satish Lamba, who has been tracking his health, said the next stage could see organ damage and appealed directly to the government to intervene. "He is a precious gem and we do not want to lose him," the doctor said.

Despite this, Wangchuk has refused to call off the fast, saying ending it without a government response would send the wrong message.

Political pressure mounts

The protest has drawn increasing political attention. Kerala's Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the Centre on Thursday for what he called a refusal to engage with Wangchuk's demands. In a Facebook post, Vijayan alleged that several of the activist's organs were already malfunctioning and urged the government to act before it was too late.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also visited Jantar Mantar, reiterating the demand for Pradhan's resignation and proposing Wangchuk's name for the post of Union Education Minister. The Congress party, while backing the resignation demand, has simultaneously appealed to Wangchuk to end his fast given his health.

The Delhi High Court has also stepped in, directing authorities to monitor Wangchuk's condition daily and ordering that any medical intervention recommended by doctors be carried out without delay.

The government has not publicly responded to the demands.

(With agency inputs)