Authorities in New Delhi have moved social activist Sonam Wangchuk to hospital after his health reportedly deteriorated on the 21st day of a hunger strike demanding the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The 59-year-old has been fasting since June 28 in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is calling for the minister’s resignation over exam paper leaks in May that affected millions of students.
Wangchuk’s protest has emerged as a rare public challenge to the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawing widespread support across India and gaining significant attention on social media.
Television footage on Saturday showed dozens of police officers and security personnel, both in uniform and plain clothes, arriving at the protest site. Officials were seen holding large white sheets around the stage before Wangchuk was taken away.
Wangchuk was not visible in the televised footage, and authorities did not immediately provide further details about his condition.