Sonam Wangchuk Requests Hospital Discharge Ahead Of Parliament March

Activist Sonam Wangchuk has appealed to the authorities at Safdarjung Hospital to allow him to leave the facility, even temporarily, so he can participate in the "Sansad Chalo" march to Parliament. Wangchuk, who was admitted to the hospital by Delhi Police on the 21st day of his hunger strike, said he was in good health and capable of joining the protest. In a handwritten letter dated July 20 and addressed to the hospital's medical superintendent, the 59-year-old stated that his health parameters were normal and requested permission to attend the demonstration before returning to the hospital if required.

The letter was shared by Wangchuk's team on social media, where they claimed he was making every effort to join the protesters. His wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, also questioned why he continued to face restrictions despite hospital authorities reportedly stating that he was not under detention. Earlier in the day, Wangchuk had alleged through another handwritten note that he was being kept under "illegal detention" at Safdarjung Hospital, claiming that his freedom of movement, speech and communication had been curtailed while he remained under medical supervision.

Delhi Police, however, maintained that the planned march to Parliament had not been authorised and that restrictions were necessary to ensure law and order during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which commenced on Monday. As protesters attempted to move beyond security barricades erected around Jantar Mantar, police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowd. Security arrangements around the Parliament complex were also tightened, with several entry gates closed as authorities sought to prevent any disruption during the session.

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In a separate handwritten message, Wangchuk said his indefinite hunger strike would continue beyond the "Sansad Chalo" march unless the government accepted responsibility for alleged failures in the education system, including repeated examination paper leaks. He also said the protest would end if Members of Parliament or leaders of political parties assured him that the issue would be raised and discussed during the ongoing Monsoon Session. Wangchuk added that if his health prevented him from reaching Parliament, elected representatives should visit him at the hospital and provide that assurance directly.

Wangchuk began his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on June 28 in support of the Cockroach Janta Party's campaign demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Cockroach Janta Party emerged earlier this year after a remark made by the Chief Justice of India during an unrelated Supreme Court hearing was adopted by unemployed youth as a symbol of protest. The movement has since gained significant traction on social media, fuelled by public outrage over repeated leaks of major entrance and recruitment examinations, with demonstrators calling for greater transparency and reforms in the country's examination system.

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