Sonam Wangchuk hunger strike LIVE: CJP continues overnight protests; Safdarjung urges treatment for Wangchuk

Home News India Parliament session, CJP's rally plan key reasons for Wangchuk's removal from protest site Updated - July 19, 2026 07:04 am IST Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) supporters rest during a protest demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, at the Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi, early Sunday (July 19, 2026). | Photo Credit: PTI The Cockroach Janta Party continued overnight protests on Sunday (July 19, 2026) at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the BJP government, demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.Also Read: Sonam Wangchuk | Fast and composedActivist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a 21-day hunger strike, is showing signs of dehydration and urgently requires fluid and electrolyte therapy to prevent potentially serious complications, even as he and his family declined the recommended treatment despite repeated counselling, Safdarjung Hospital authorities said on Saturday (July 18). Here are Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike updates from July 18Mr. Wangchuk was forcibly taken to Safdarjung hospital on Saturday by the Delhi Police as CJP’s founder Abhijeet Dipke sat on an indefinite hunger strike against the activist’s ‘kidnapping’. Mr. Dipke warned earlier that the Delhi Police “is planning to crackdown on our protest during night or early hours of morning - silencing the voice of youth”.July 19, 2026 07:04 We will now demand Narendra Modi's resignation: Abhijeet DipkeCockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday (July 18) lashed out at the Delhi Police and the BJP led Centre for forcibly hospitalising Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike in delhi for 21 days, demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.‘Until now, we were demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, but after this despicable act, we will now demand the resignation of Narendra Modi,” Mr. Dipke said.July 19, 2026 06:59 ‘Wangchuk not alone’: At least 21 continue indefinite hunger strikeEven as activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to the hospital on Saturday morning (July 18, 2026) as he entered the 21st day of his hunger strike at a protest in Jantar Mantar, called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), at least 21 protesters, from across the country, continued their hunger strike despite deteriorating health conditions, asserting that Mr. Wangchuk’s removal from the site has only strengthened their resolve to continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns as the Union Education Minister.Read the story here‘Wangchuk not alone’: At least 21 continue indefinite hunger strikeAt least 21 activists continue a hunger strike in solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.July 19, 2026 06:55 Watch | CJP continues overnight protestsThe Cockroach Janta Party continued overnight protests on Sunday (July 19, 2026) at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the BJP government, demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.CJP’s spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka posted a video on X of students gathered at Jantar Mantar singing Vande Mataram. July 19, 2026 06:52 FAIMA seeks daily medical bulletin on Wangchuk's health in letter to President MurmuFAIMA Doctors Association has written to the President of India Droupadi Murmu seeking urgent intervention on repeated NEET irregularities,accountability of the NTA & structural reforms in the examination system. The association has also requested transparent twice-daily medical bulletins on Sonam Wangchuk’s health following his hospitalisation.July 19, 2026 06:48 Sonam Wangchuk | Fast and composedRight as Sonam Wangchuk entered the 21st day of his fast, authorities whisked him away, covering his path from the stage at the Jantar Mantar protest site to the waiting ambulance with a wall of white curtains. Mr. Wangchuk tried to raise his hand beyond the curtains, and it appeared for a split second before he was ushered in and sped off.Mr. Wangchuk, 59, has emerged as an unlikely symbol of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s weeks-long youth-led protests across the country, now centred in the heart of the capital. The mythology surrounding Mr. Wangchuk is ever evolving: from stories of how he concealed his family pedigree — his father Sonam Wangyal, a mountaineer and former MLA — to gain admission to an engineering college as an ordinary student, to becoming the face of climate demonstrations in ecologically sensitive Ladakh in 2023, and, last year, to championing the region’s demand for greater autonomy.Here’s Sonam Wangchuk’s profileJuly 19, 2026 06:43 No need for Pradhan's resignation; action taken against NEET paper leak culprits: Ramdas AthawaleUnion Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday (July 18) said his colleague Dharmendra Pradhan need not resign over the NEET paper leak, claiming that action has been taken against those involved in the scam.He also said Sonam Wangchuk should call of his hunger strike, assuring that steps will be taken by the government to ensure that paper leak does not happen again.“There is no need for Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. NEET paper leak is not a good thing for us, but it is not as if no action has been taken in this regard,” Mr. Athawale told reporters on the sidelines of an event.-PTIJuly 19, 2026 06:38 Wangchuk needs urgent therapy, family declining treatment despite counselling: Safdarjung HospitalActivist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a 21-day hunger strike, is showing signs of dehydration and urgently requires fluid and electrolyte therapy to prevent potentially serious complications, even as he and his family declined the recommended treatment despite repeated counselling, Safdarjung Hospital authorities said on Saturday (July 18).Mr. Wangchuk remains conscious and haemodynamically stable, with his pulse, blood pressure and oxygen saturation currently within normal limits, the hospital said in a statement issued around 9 p.m.However, it said his prolonged fast has led to clinical signs of dehydration, making immediate oral or intravenous fluid and electrolyte therapy medically necessary.-PTIJuly 19, 2026 06:37 Parliament session, CJP's rally plan key reasons for Wangchuk's removal from protest siteThe Delhi Police was instructed by the Union government to shift activist Sonam Wangchuk from the protest site at Jantar Mantar due to the upcoming Monsoon session of the Parliament, which commences on Monday (July 20, 2026), government sources said.The police and other security agencies also apprehended a law and order situation in the national capital, metres away from the Parliament House, as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a rally to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in the wake of the NEET examination paper leak.Here’s the full storyParliament session, CJP's rally plan key reasons for Wangchuk's removal from protest siteSonam Wangchuk was removed from a protest site due to security concerns over the Parliament session and a planned rally. Published - July 19, 2026 06:33 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products