Anna Hazare appealed to the Union government to open a dialogue with Sonam Wangchuk in an effort to resolve the ongoing impasse surrounding his indefinite fast.
Published: July 18, 2026, 9:26 PM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/news/india/anna-hazare-appeal-to-centre-urges-them-to-say-yes-or-no-to-sonam-wangchuk-demands-dharmendra-pradhan-8477678/
Anna Hazare speaks on Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike. ANI
Activist Anna Hazare on Saturday said the Union government should hold talks with educationist Sonam Wangchuk. “The government should not test his limits. Say yes or no (to his demands), but what is wrong in holding discussions,” Hazare said in a video message.
Wangchuk has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak scandal. He was shifted to a government hospital by Delhi Police on Saturday after his health deteriorated on the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.
VIDEO | Ralegan Siddhi, Maharashtra: Social activist Anna Hazare speaks about the protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, Delhi and activist Sonam Wanghchuk being taken away by the police to hospital from the protest site.
(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/L0ECKreglT
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 18, 2026
Notably, Hazare’s hunger strike in Delhi for the Lokpal Act had rocked the UPA government in 2011.
Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike
Environment activist and educationalist Sonam Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike for 20 days demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged nationwide examination irregularities, including the NEET paper leak controversy.
Earlier today, the Delhi Police said Wangchuk was shifted to the Safdarjung Hospital from the Jantar Mantar protest site in compliance with the Delhi High Court’s directions and on medical advice due to his deteriorating health. Police officials said maximum restraint was exercised during the operation.
However, Safdarjung Hospital staff Dr Nitin Dighe raised “suspicion” on the medical reports released by the Safdarjung Hospital indicating a potassium deficiency, arguing that he had taken Wangchuk’s blood sample at 3 pm on Friday, which showcased a normal potassium value.
Also Read | Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike: Rahul Gandhi slams activist’s removal from Jantar Mantar, calls it ‘wrong’
The hospital is not providing the medical reports of Wangchuk, Dr Dighe told ANI, adding he will be collecting his blood sample for a report, which will be presented to the media. “My team and I have been doing his checkups for the past 20 days. His advocates and we have not been allowed to meet him so far. His wife is here, and they are allowing her. I asked them why they have kept him here, and we were told that he is showing potassium deficiency. I had taken his blood sample at 3 pm yesterday, and potassium was normal at that time. It was 4.8, higher than the normal value of 3.5. Now, they are saying the value has dropped. When his wife is asking for a report, they are not giving one to her. This is suspicious, so I am collecting his blood and taking it for a report. I will present the report to you,” he said.
The CJP protesters at Jantar Mantar alleged that the police personnel arrived at the site and claimed to be a medical team. They ordered the volunteers to move aside, a protester was quoted as saying by ANI. Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) chief spokesperson Saurav Das alleged that the Delhi Police had misinterpreted the Delhi High Court’s directions while shifting Sonam Wangchuk to hospital and termed his detention a contempt of court.
Also Read | Sonam Wangchuk: Father fasted for Ladakh, son on hunger strike for students – All you need to know
“The Delhi High Court directed that the health of Sonam Wangchuk should be monitored and any intervention should only take place if his health deteriorates. His health is monitored by our medical team 2-3 times a day, and he himself posts videos on a daily basis giving updates about his health, which has been stable. The Delhi police has misinterpreted that court order and in the guise of that order, detained him. The detention is a contempt of court’s order,” Das said.
With inputs from ANI
