New Delhi: The protest led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar entered its 12th day on Wednesday, with activist Sonam Wangchuk continuing his hunger strike for the fourth consecutive day. While Wangchuk said he was feeling stable despite slight fatigue, students participating in the indefinite fast reported deteriorating health.
Sharing a health update, Wangchuk said doctors had advised him to increase his intake of water and salt after his blood pressure was found to be low. He added that his blood sugar level stood at 66, which he attributed to not consuming food for the past three days.
“My sugar level is low at 66, but that’s because of no food for three days. As ketosis takes over, the body starts consuming fats. In a prolonged fast, it may consume muscles and organs, resulting in death, but I’m nowhere near that,” Wangchuk said.
He also revealed that he had lost around two kilograms since beginning the fast, adding that a daily weight loss of nearly 650 grams was considered normal during prolonged fasting.
Expressing gratitude to supporters, Wangchuk said his personal discomfort was insignificant compared to the sacrifices made by others. He referred to the deaths of more than 20 students and five youths in Ladakh last September, saying their struggles remained the driving force behind the protest.
Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said student protester Inesh, who had been shifted to a hospital after his condition worsened on Tuesday night following eight days of fasting, was recovering well.
“Inesh is recovering well at the hospital. Our team is in touch with him and monitoring the situation,” Dipke said in a post on X.
Dipke also intensified his criticism of the Centre, alleging that repeated paper leaks, shattered aspirations of students and student suicides had forced protesters to demand accountability.
The All India Students’ Association (AISA) claimed that the health of several students on indefinite hunger strike had worsened. According to the organisation, JNUSU Joint Secretary Danish’s blood sugar level had dropped to 61 mg/dL, while doctors advised other fasting students, including Aameen and Deepak, to discontinue the protest due to serious health concerns.
AISA reiterated its demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accusing the government of failing to address students’ concerns.
The CJP launched its protest at Jantar Mantar on June 20 over alleged irregularities in the examination system, including the NEET controversy. Organisers have said the agitation will also raise broader accountability issues, including concerns related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
